


The Ashen Years

by SpeckleYurkei



Series: The Ashen Years [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU where lycanthropy isn't a metaphor for aids/hiv, First War with Voldemort, Harry Potter OC - Freeform, Hogwarts, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), OC-centric Fic, Original Character(s), no beta we die like men, still hate JK Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:47:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26827582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpeckleYurkei/pseuds/SpeckleYurkei
Summary: In September of 1971, Lily Evans, Severus Snape, James Potter, Sirius Black, and two werewolves share a train compartment together. From there the rest is (largely contented) magical history.
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore & OC, Dumbledore & OC, Lily Evans & OC & Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall & OC, Peter Pettigrew & OC, Regulus Black & OC, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Remus Lupin & OC, Severus Snape & Lily Evans, Severus Snape & OC, Severus Snape & OC & Regulus Black, Sirius Black & OC, james potter & oc, lily evans & oc
Series: The Ashen Years [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956862
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

Lily Evans stared at the sleek black figure of the Hogwarts Express in front of her and was sure that her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Around her Platform 9 & ¾ was roaring with life. Vendors hawked out their wares of items both mundane and not. The sharp tang of metal and the acrid sent of sweat filled her eleven-year old nostrils as her mother tightened her grip on her arm. 

Beside her Severus Snape watched everyone warily. His small body was dwarfed in his oversized black robes. Despite his ocean of clothes his green eyes were narrowed at the surrounding crowd while his body was tense in a way that made it clear he was ready to move. Lily couldn’t blame him. She’d never been around wizards other than Severus before so she took this opportunity to get a good look around. 

Nearby a girl with long black hair was showing a white-haired cat to her friend, who was holding a brown owl in a cage. A boy reconnected with his friends as a woman with dreadlocks proudly handed a large black tarantula to a smiling girl their age. Beside them a girl with curly auburn hair was bouncing lightly on the platform, being held back by the hands of her mother and gigantic father. 

“I can’t believe we’re here, Sev!,” Lily said to her best friend. He nodded with a jerk and smiled at her yet his hands didn’t leave his wand. He’d only just gotten it and didn’t seem eager to let it out of his sight anytime soon. 

“Be careful you two,” Lily’s mum warned. Their father was waiting with Tuney in the car, who they had left crying. Despite the happy air in the station her Mum looked nervous. She took a step away from the family with the tarantula and looked Lily in the eyes. “You never know what you’re going to meet there.” 

Lily and Severus nodded. They were used to this. Cokeworth wasn’t a bad place, but that didn’t make it good either. Throughout the car ride there they had received the same lecture from Lily’s Mum.  _ Be careful, don’t trust strange people, stick together.  _

“Can Sev and I go sit on the train?,” Lily asked. Her mum looked worried for a second before placing a kiss on Lily’s forehead. 

“I love you.,” She said as she pulled away and Lily tried to ignore the tight feeling in her chest. She blinked a few tears out of her eyes before she grabbed Sev’s hand and raced onto the train, barely giving him enough time to grab his trunk.

Inside the train was more hectic than the Platform. Children of all ages filled the compartments, letting off spells with their wands or others yelling out of the windows at waiting family members. Many had already changed into their Hogwarts robes or were reading thick books with moving covers. 

Each compartment the two passed gave another strange sight before they finally found an empty one near the back. The two put their trunks away before Severus sat in the window seat. Lily slid in next to him and let her feet kick underneath the bench as she bounced in place. 

“We’re almost there Sev!,” She whispered excitedly. 

“We haven’t even left yet.,” Sev replied but it was half-hearted and dampened by the look on his face as he took in the view. The city of London peered at them back at them. Smoke poured out of chimneys into a greying sky while cars zoomed pass, oblivious to the magical world around them.

“But we’re almost on our way to being there.” Severus didn’t reply and Lily ran another mental check on the items in her trunk. The school was going to be far away and Lily didn’t want to be the twot who forgot something at home. 

“I’ll have to tell Tuney all about this later.” Sev nodded as Lily tried to commit the sight of London to memory. Petunia would probably have all sorts of stories about their old school friends ready for her when she got back and Lily didn’t want to be left out of the fun. 

“Do you think we’ll be out of place with the other kids?,” Lily asked. Sev looked at her. He was quiet for a moment in a way that meant he was picking out his words carefully. 

“Maybe? Some of the other kids came from Wizarding Families so we might seem weird to them.” Lily nodded. It felt weird. She hadn’t even known this world existed before she met Sev and now she was about to meet people who were born into it. Severus kind of counted but his stories were old and his knowledge of the world only came from his Mum. 

She wanted to pick his brain some more about it but then the compartment door opened. 

The girl with the boots stared back at them. Her patient brown eyes took in the sight of first Lily and then Severus. She smiled at them which Lily quickly returned as she tried to keep herself from gawking at the three thick scars on the girl’s face. 

“Do you mind if I sit here?,” She asked. She had a thick African accent and it took Lily a moment to decipher what she had said. 

“Not really.” She threw her trunk into the box and sat down across from the two of them. Up close Lily could eye bags on the girls brown face. 

“I’m Maven, nice to meet you.,” When they shook hands Lily felt calluses on Maven’s young fingers and wondered which world Maven had come from. Magical or Muggle. 

“I”m Lily and this is my best friend, Severus.” Severus gave a half-hearted wave to Maven before grunting slightly when Lily elbowed him in the ribs. 

“ _ Be. Nice. _ ,” Lily mouthed. 

“Nice to meet you.,” Sev spat as he sideyed Lily. He gave Maven another passing glance before turning his face back to the window. 

“Where are you from?,” Lily followed up as the three felt the train start with a warm rumble. Maven gave a nervous smile. 

“Uganda. My family moved to Britain last year.” 

“Was it a surprise for you then, getting the letter?” 

“A bit.,” Maven nodded. “But not very. My mother is from Britain so she went to Hogwarts herself.” 

“What House was she in?,” Severus asked, bringing his gaze away from the window. 

“Slytherin.” He nodded. 

“Same here.” 

“So where is your Da from?,” Lily asked. 

“Uganda. He went to Uagadou.” Lily blinked at the strange word, sure she had misheard her. 

“Uagadou?,” Lily asked, careful to replicate the way Maven had said it. 

“It’s the top African wizarding school.,” Maven stated proudly. 

“There’s an African wizarding school?” Maven shot a questioning look at Lily as she nodded. 

“There’s many African wizarding schools. Uagadou is the best. It’s right up there with Hogwarts and Beauxbatons.” Lily felt dumbstruck by the knowledge. If there was a magical world in Britain then why wouldn’t there be one around the world? She shot a glance at Severus who seemed just as interested in the subject. 

The two quickly launched their investigation as the train passed from the metropolis of London into thick greenlands. Lily soon learned that the magical world was  _ much  _ bigger than she had expected while her eleven-year-old mind was racing with all the new sights and places she just  _ had  _ to visit. 

She was asking Maven about Ilvermorny when the compartment door once again opened.

“I’m telling you mate, her eyes were like saucers.,” A boy with long black hair was announcing as he stepped inside. Behind him a kid with wild black hair was nearly doubled over laughing while a pale boy tried to hide his laughter. 

They stopped when they saw the strange trio and Lily felt their eyes pass over them. The kid with wild hair seemed unable to look away from Lily. Severus shifted away from the boys beside her while the pale boy openly stared at Maven’s scars. 

“Can we sit here?” The wild-haired kid asked. Lily couldn’t think of a reason to say no and the three slid in. 

“Thanks mate, by the way, name’s James.,” The wild-haired kid pronounced with a smile. 

“That’s Sirius,” He pointed to the black-haired kid who was now carefully eyeing his fingernails from his spot closest to the edge. 

“And that’s Remus.” He pointed to the last blonde-boy who now had a confused look on his face as he took in Maven’s own. 

“I’m Lily and this is my best friend Severus.,” Lily introduced. Severus gave a half-hearted glance in their direction before staring determinedly out of the window

“I’m Maven.,” She introduced as she started to glare at Remus. Remus quickly looked away while Sirius huffed from his spot on Maven’s left.

“So what House do you think you’ll be in?,” Sirius asked once the pleasantries were over. “I’m hoping I’ll be in Gryffindor,  _ that’s  _ where the fun’s at.” 

“I don’t really know a lot about the Houses,” Lily nervously replied. “Only that there are four of them: Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.” 

“Oh we can teach you,” Sirius responded. “So Ravenclaw’s for the really smart people. Ravenclaws are kind of odd but individuality  _ is  _ one of their House traits and they’re an alright lot.  _ Gryffindor’s  _ is the place to be though. Gryffindors are brave and heroic.,” 

“And their House color is red, so you’ll fit right in.” James playfully brushed some of Lily’s hair to the side. 

“Okay and what about the other two?,” Lily asked. 

“You don’t need to worry about them. Slytherins are evil and Hufflepuffs are for everyone else.” 

“Slytherins aren’t  _ evil, _ ” Severus interjected. “They’re ambitious and cunning, those don’t make you evil.” 

“And Hufflepuffs aren’t leftovers.,” Maven added. “Hufflepuff is a fine House.” 

“Oh?,” Sirius asked as his hackles raised, “How would you two know?” 

“My mother was in Slytherin for your information.,” Severus stated proudly. 

“And so was my Mum!” 

“Really?,” Sirius said. “What were your dads then?” 

Severus crossed his arms angrily as his silence told all. Sirius smirked snidely. 

“My dad went to Uagadou so  _ ha! _ ,” Maven declared with enough bite for the two of them. 

“What the  _ hell  _ is Uagadou?,” Sirius angrily responded and Lily watched as the two began to draw themselves up. The atmosphere became tense as Lily could see the argument brewing.

“The trolley’s nearly here.” Remus said as a distraction. “Let’s get some food, yeah?” Sirius and Maven glared at one another but reluctantly agreed. James, Remus and Sirius left the apartment while Maven stayed behind. 

“Come on.,” Maven said as she got out of her bench. Lily blinked

“Oh we can’t-” 

“I’m not asking you to  _ pay,  _ I’m just asking you to come with me.” Lily and Severus shot a glance at one another before stepping out of the compartment. The trolley wasn’t far off and Lily saw a kindly old woman talking with Remus while Sirius and James examined the array of foods. 

Lily recognized none of them. She stared dubiously at the Cauldron Cakes while Severus examined a Chocolate Frog box. Maven read the label of the Burt's Every Flavor Beans and Lily felt comforted in knowing that she wasn’t the only one confused here. 

Lily grabbed a Cauldron Cake while Severus hesitantly chose a single Chocolate Frog. Maven picked out two more and a scoop of beans before paying the trolley lady. 

After returning to the compartment Lily decided to try a hesitant sip of pumpkin juice while Maven and Severus grabbed Chocolate Frogs. Lily smiled a little when she found that the strange drink wasn’t as bad as it sounded. Severus had bitten the head off of his frog and was staring at the card in surprise while Morgana waved at him. Maven smiled at a picture of Albus Dumbledore while James, Sirius and Remus got caught up in a conversation about Quidditch. 

Lily smiled in the light of her new friends as the train carried them onward to Hogwarts. 


	2. The Sorting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once the boats are off Severus Snape thinks about his new future, and especially his House.

The Hogwarts grounds were better than Severus Snape could have ever imagined. From his spot on the tiny wooden boat the castle looks like something pulled straight out of all those Disney movies he had watched with Lily. It looks like  _ freedom  _ and Severus can hardly wait to start his new life there. 

It feels like an eternity before they dock. Severus spends that time running through his mother’s whispered stories of her own time there. He didn’t have many. Ghosts, floating candles, and of course her house.  _ Slytherin.  _ The word feels right to Severus and he knows that Lily will love it there too.

The moment their boats touch shore Severus jumps out. He doesn’t even have to wait before Lily is running up to him with wide green eyes. 

“ _ We’re here.,”  _ She whispers with a voice full of awe. Severus nods excitedly yet before they could continue a witch with greying hair steps in front of the small crowd. Severus looks up to see black rimmed glasses and sharp eyes looking them over. 

“I am Professor McGonagall, follow me.,” She turns around and starts moving without checking to see if they’re following. Though, Severus thinks as the crowd moves, it’s not like they have much of a choice. 

They’re led into a large entrance hall where stained glass windows  _ move  _ and stare at them eagerly. Professor McGonagall doesn’t even look at them but Severus can hardly tear his eyes away. There are four of them in all with each holding a different person.

“You’re about to head into the Great Hall.,” The witch states. “From there you will be sorted into your Houses.” 

“There is Gryffindor.,” She announces and gestures at a red window. The man inside of it puffs out his chest proudly while a lion near him gives out a silent roar. Severus’s eyes are caught by long  _ sharp  _ fangs and the determined expression on the man’s face. He looked fearless. 

“Hufflepuff.,” Her arm moves to a different window. A short, dumpy woman waves at them and smiles warmly. A badger by her feet gives out a sleepy yawn as if shifts its position against a potted plant. Severus thinks back to what Maven had said on the train earlier and decides that it wouldn’t be the  _ worst  _ thing if he was a Hufflepuff. 

“Ravenclaw.,” A beautiful woman looks up from the stack of books in her hand and smiles wryly at the incoming students. She’s wearing an enormous blue hat with various objects dangling from it. An eagle shifts its position on her shoulder and gives them all an appraising eye. 

“And Slytherin.” Severus’s eyes immediately snap to this image. The man inside of it raises his chin haughtily and stares at them all with cold green eyes The snake at his shoulder moves suddenly, going from being at his feet to snapping at them all. The man looked powerful and despite the snake Severus knows that this is the House for him. 

“Once done Hogwarts will be your home and your House your family.,” The witch glares slightly at the green figure but then it’s gone so quickly Severus assumes he must have imagined it. “Wait here while I get everything in order.” 

The moment she leaves the room explodes in conversation.

“Hoping I’ll be Gryffindor-” 

“Did you  _ see  _ the snake?” 

“-scary. I hope that-” 

“Mum says all the best wizards-” 

“I know. I know.” 

Flashes of conversation float around Severus and it takes a moment for him to realize that Lily is trying to talk to him. 

“-the windows! This is so cool, yeah!?,” Her eyes continue to make rounds of the windows whose occupants move freely as they interact with the students. 

“Decided on a House yet?,” Maven asks as she strides towards them. Lily shakes her head. 

“They all sound so good! But I want to be near Sev.,” She states firmly. Maven nods. Severus smiles at his best friend’s confidence in him. 

“You?” Maven looks around at the murals for a second time. She takes careful care looking at each one before looking at Lily and shrugging. 

“Fair enough then.,” Severus starts to mention already choosing Slytherin when Professor McGonagall steps inside again.

“You may come inside now.”

They’re sorted by last names with Lily at the front and Severus all the way at the back. Most of the other kids would have been sorted before him but it will give him time to see the results before heading to Slytherin. 

His mother hadn’t been lying about the floating candles after all. They illuminate the gigantic room and hover just below the ceiling which looks as if it’s barely there at all. It’s a cloudless night and Severus feels the eyes of everyone else in the room on him as the newest batch of students file in. 

Ahead of them sits the Sorting Hat on a small stool. Severus thinks it looks like any other hunk of old junk. It opens a crack in its brim and Severus is surprised when it starts to sing. The Sorting Hat’s song is about the differences between the Houses, highlighting their good traits.

His eyes dart over to the Slytherin table while the Sorting Hat sings. They stare at the first years with measured disinterest. Severus can’t read their faces yet they radiate distrust. His mother had long since told him about blood purity and how most of Slytherin house wouldn’t take kindly to him.

It won’t matter. Severus is used to being hated. As long as he’s got Lily beside him then it will all work out. It has to. The song ends and Severus is drawn back into the Sorting. Professor McGonagall is unrolling a long scroll as she picks up the hat. 

“Ashe, Maven!” Whispers start up at the surrounding tables at her name. Severus notes with surprise how the Slytherin table seems to perk up, its members craning their heads to get a good look at her. But he also notices how their eyes darken and mouths wrinkle once they have.

She strides towards the hat smiling and it sits on her head. The Hall goes silent as a minute passes before-

“HUFFLEPUFF!” The yellow table cheers as the Hat is removed. She is given a bright yellow tie and quickly bounds over to her new Housemates. 

“RAVENCLAW!” 

“GRYFFINDOR!” 

“SLYTHERIN!” 

The line moves quickly as one by one the students are sorted. 

Sirius comes up to the Hat during his own turn, the cocky smile knocked off of his face and replaced by one of fear. The hat goes on his head and Severus watches the Slytherin table move and shift in anticipation of a new recruit. 

“GRYFFINDOR!” Those movements stop when the Hat calls out its verdict. The Hall goes deathly silent but Sirius doesn’t care. A wide grin stretches across his face as his robes go red and then he’s across the Hall in a second, moving a new Housemate aside in his eagerness. 

Hogwarts quickly finds its bearings as the process continues. Severus doesn’t care and he feels his heart stop when Lily is called up to the Hat. He wonders what House she’s going to be in. He wants it to be Slytherin but to be fair he’d be fine with any as long as it wasn’t- 

“GRYFFINDOR!” The Hat booms and it sounds like a death toll. Lily laughs and sits at the red table as well without so much as a second glance towards him. His heart sinks into his stomach as he blinks away tears and listens half-heartedly to the Sorting Ceremony. 

Lupin goes into Gryffindor as well and a particularly annoying boy called Peter takes his bloody time before finally heading into Gryffindor. The line moves quickly and then Severus is heading towards the Hat. 

“ _A Prince eh?,_ ” The Hat mumbles inside of his head. Severus’s heart swells as he thinks of his mother’s legacy reaching him even here. “ _Been a while since we’ve had one of those._ ”

_ “Slytherin, _ ” Severus tells it firmly. “ _ I want to be in Slytherin.”  _

“ _ Continuing the family legacy huh. You certainly have the right stuff for it. I can’t say it will be easy for you there. _ ”

“ _ It doesn’t need to be easy. I don’t care. I want Slytherin.”  _

“ _ You might do better somewhere else but if you’re so sure it better be  _ SLYTHERIN!” The Hat booms before it's taken off of his head. Severus heads towards the green table determinedly and takes a seat by the edge. His gaze moves towards the Gryffindor table but he’s surprised when he sees a dark brown hand waving at him from amidst the Huffelpuffs. 

“ _ Good job.,”  _ Maven mouths from her own spot. She smiles reassuredly at him and gives him a small thumbs up. Severus isn’t quite sure what to do with that so he just nods stiffly before Maven turns around to talk with her other Housemates. 

Severus only sees the back of Lily as the Sorting ends. When it is over an elderly wizard with a long white beard gets up to speak. 

“We are pleased to have you here and welcome the start of a new year at Hogwarts.,” He sneezes weirdly then before sitting down. Severus tries not to be too disappointed. He looks down at his table and sees a feast set out before him. 

The food set out looks  _ way  _ fancier than Severus would expect at a boarding school and he tries his best to mind his manners as he eats. He inevitably does some things wrong and feels the glare of his Housemates beside him. 

Severus tries not to think about his best friend as he digs into his food. He shoots a couple glances over towards Lily at the Gryffindor table before he shoots one at Hufflepuff. Severus promptly has to keep himself from laughing at Maven’s face.

Her smile is gone and replaced by one of confusion as she moves her food around on her plate. Severus knows that British food is probably different from the stuff that she used to eat but it can’t have been that much of a difference. It’s probably just the magic. 

The Feast ends and Severus follows his new Housemates out of the Hall. From there they split from the rest of the school and head towards the dungeons. The flickering light from pre-lit torches makes his Housemates look like demons as the Slytherins march in a near-silent procession. Once away front the rest of the school they start to talk amongst themselves. 

“Can you  _ believe  _ it?” 

“I couldn’t” 

“Walburga will hear-” 

“-make sure of it-” 

“Well  _ my  _ family-” 

“The disgrace-” 

“S’not as bad-” 

Most of the whispers were about Sirius. It was clear that they were expecting him to join them in Slytherin and that this was the Worst Possible Outcome. Their words were vicious and Severus thinks that the Slytherin animal of a snake was aptly named. 

Severus is able to go unnoticed as they head towards their Common Room which was quite possibly the fanciest place he had ever set foot inside. The fireplace glowed with dark green fire which illuminated the high-end furniture. The furniture didn’t look very comfortable but it was clearly expensive. Chairs were upholstered with golden threads and knobs as tall bookshelves commanded over the room. 

A large window took up the back wall, showcasing an underwater view of the lake. Severus could see floating strands of seaweed alongside aquatic creatures that peeked out curiously at them. A large pink tentacle moved into view and Severus quickly moved into the Boy’s dormitories. 

He finds his room quickly as well as his new roommates. Avery, Mulciber and some something-or-other whose name Severus doesn’t care enough about right now to remember.

Despite being as old as he is they look mean and glare at him as he goes towards the remaining bed. There a dark black chest waits for him with his clothes already packed inside and his pyjamas laid out. 

Severus quickly changes and hops into his bed. It’s softer than anything he’s ever felt in his life and his small form sinks into it. He closes his eyes and Hogwarts fades into a pleasant murky darkness around him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the windows don't exist but I thought it would be a fun addition to have and decided to indulge myself. I am Not British so sorry if the conversations seem a little awkward. Once again, please let me know your thoughts!


	3. Friends and Fights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's only a few weeks into the year and already Sirius Black and James Potter are on Lily's nerves. Luckily a new friend comes to the rescue.

“Oi, Snivellus.,” Sirius calls and Lily can already feel the headache coming on. Lily would like to think that underneath the layers of arrogant prick Sirius was a good person. He had seemed nice enough on the train. But then again, they all had seemed nice enough on the train, before they had been sorted into Gryffindor and Severus in Slytherin.

Lily looks over at her best friend now. His back is still to Sirius yet his spine is ramrod-straight while his mouth is pulled into a thin line. One of his arms is held stiffly close to him as Sev continues as if nothing has happened. 

“Oi,” A satisfied voice calls out in front of them. James stands in front of them with a smile on his face, his arms crossed as he leans against a pillar. Remus stands in a small group of shadows behind him. His pale face is pulled into a mask of resigned neutrality as his hands clasp and unclasp in front of him. 

“Didn’t you hear him, _Snivellus?_ ,” James’s smirk never leaves his face as he sends a wink towards Lily. Her stomach turns at the sight of it. “Or have you gone deaf as well?”

“That’d be a sight James,” Sirius laughs as he comes behind the two of them. “Deaf _and_ ugly. I wonder what’s worse.” 

“Shut up, Sirius.,” Severus spits, whipping his head around. Lily’s wand is in her hand in a flash as she races through the different spells she could launch. She doesn’t know many yet, they were only a few weeks into the year, but Lily was sure that she could come up with something.

“What was that Snivellus? You’re going to have to speak louder.” 

“I _said-_ ” Lily doesn’t even see him do it. In the space of a heartbeat James’s wand is out and aimed at Severus. 

“ _Silencio._ ,” James calls. 

“ _Loco-_ ,” Lily starts. 

“ _Petrificus Totalis.”_ It’s a dirty move. Lily should’ve known better than to turn her back on Sirius. Her body is stuck in that position, wand out, face fixed into a grimace, red hair tied back over her Gryffindor scarf. There’s a strange energy coursing over her, as if she’s been encased in ice that will never thaw. 

Sev looks stricken beside her. With her petrified and him temporarily mute they were sitting ducks. Sirius comes around to James' side with a sadistic smile on his face. He knew it too.

James looks angry for a moment before he throws his head back and laughs. Remus flinches at the sound while his hands clasp each other tight enough to turn the knuckles a bloodless white. James gets closer to them and tauntingly puts his chest against her wand. Lily tries to force her mouth to move as spells begin to race through her mind but each dies in her throat. 

“That’s better.,” Sirius sighs. “Nothing personal Lils, but I needed you out of the way.” James focuses a nasty glare onto Severus as if _he_ were the cause of all of this. Lily’s blood runs hot in her veins and she makes a thousand promises to herself. Forget spells and magic. Lily’s always had a mean right hook and magic or no there were few that could stand up to _that._

“You know it is proper to _respond_ when someone is talking to you.,” Sirius says. He begins to casually examine his wand. A cold sweat breaks out on Lily’s forehead. Despite how much he hated his family, they had prepared him to be in Slytherin. Sirius came to school with a brain full of hexes and was already using them well. 

“That it is Sirius,” James nods his head, “And since Snivellus here clearly doesn’t know how to do that, I’m afraid we’ll have to teach him.” 

Sirius mock tuts as a smile is already breaking across his face. “Such a shame. But somebody has to do it.” 

Both of their wands point towards Severus’s chest. To Sev’s credit he isn’t backing away but the whites of his eyes practically glow in the mid-afternoon sun. Lily can’t close her eyes and silently promises her best friend that she’ll give the lot of them black eyes. 

But somebody beats her to it. 

Lily doesn’t see them coming. She only hears the sound of heavy, _fast_ footsteps and then a blur of black robes, curly hair, and scarred skin. A yellow scarf swings in the breeze created by its owner as a fist lands right in the middle of Sirius Black’s face. 

It lands with a meaty _thud_ that sends him sprawling onto the floor. Sirius’s wand goes flying as he lands with a heavy _thump._ His long black hair creates an inky cloud around him as a single groan fills the hallway. His eyes glitter with tears as a thick line of blood begins to drip from his nose. 

Maven stands in the empty spot Sirius had just been standing in. Lily can’t see the look that she’s giving him but she doesn’t need to. Anger and hatred are rolling off of Maven in waves, the smiling girl from the train replaced by this creature of rage. 

“You’ll-” James starts angrily. His wand is leveled toward her but before he can fire off a spell Maven moves again. Her fist goes towards his face but James is quicker than Sirius. He dodges and tackles Maven to the ground. They land in a heap, momentarily forgetting James’s wand in their anger as the two fight for control. 

It doesn’t last long. Despite James’s reflexes, it becomes clear that Maven is the better fighter. Soon enough Maven is sitting on James’ chest and giving him a couple of good ones ‘round the head. Lily becomes so engrossed in the fight that she almost doesn’t notice the moment the ice encasing her cracks and she’s free to move again. _Almost._

The moment it does Lily makes a beeline straight for Sirius. The boy had been trying to sneak his way over to his wand, leaving him open to Lily’s right hook. In moments the two of them are scrapping on the floor, all magic forgotten.

In her fury Lily doesn’t notice Remus trying to rush in and break them apart but she _does_ see Severus’s resounding uppercut. In seconds the two of _them_ are fighting as well and the hallway devolves into angry yells and pained groans as each of them tackles their opponent. 

The fights only stop when Lily feels a magical rope entangle her body as she begins to float into the air. Lily whips her head around and sees Professors Flitwick and Sprout standing around the edge of a rather large crowd. Professor Flitwick looks scandalized while Professor Sprout glares at them all. 

“What. Happened?,” Professor Sprout asks. 

“ _They started it!_ ” 

In the end, the fight is marked down as a disagreement among students. Words were thrown and tempers had run high. It was the first fight of the year and their first year at school. They would all do a month of detention. It was better than expected but anything was better than expulsion. However it was made clear to them that Hogwarts had a strict no fighting policy and parents would be notified the next time something like this happens. 

_So no fighting within range of teachers,_ Lily had thought as she sat through the lecture. _Got it._ Now as she sat in the hospital wing she could only glare across the room at Sirius, Remus, and James.

Remus looked like a kicked puppy. He didn’t make eye contact with anyone as he held a cold potion to his split lip and a handkerchief up to his bloody nose. One of his eyes was swollen and with a darkening purple bruise. Lily felt bad for him but she could never forget the way he had just stood back there and _watched._ At least Sirius and James were upfront about who they were. 

Lily moved her eye over to where those two were seated. Sirius glared at her full of hatred, but it was greatly diminished by _his_ black eyes and the bruises on his face. He gripped his healing potion tightly and decided to take a single swallow before moving his gaze towards Maven. Lily tried to keep the awe off of her face as Sirius’s bruises cleared up in seconds. 

_That’s amazing!_ She begins to wonder what’s in them and how she can make them at home. Tuney was careful to not get into fights but you can’t avoid accidents forever. Tuney would be _so_ grateful! Lily’s eyes involuntarily turn to James and her mood sours. 

James looked awestruck. He had already downed his own potions and now sent spiteful glares their way. The looks always stopped at Lily and he had the nerve to wink at her. Clearly nothing had changed. 

Lily drank some of her own healing potion and tried to ignore the slimy texture. It left an aftertaste of rotten eggs yet she could feel her face tingle as it worked its magic. Maven frowned from her spot on her own hospital bed as she too drank from her bottle. 

Sev stared deeply at the potion in his hands as he twirled his bottle around and around in his hands. He had been acting strange since the moment they had entered the infirmary, his eyes constantly straying to the door and his movements jumpier than ever. Once Madam Pomfrey had done her diagnosis spell she had frowned at Sev and requested that he stay back with her. 

Now the angry boy looked gloomier than Lily had ever seen him. His eyes were wet with barely-there tears as he frowned at the ground. Lily’s heart ached for her best friend but she could tell that this problem wasn’t one that they could tackle together. 

“You didn’t have to do that.,” Lily said to Maven. The girl looked surprised and blinked at her. “You didn’t have to get involved.” 

“Why not?,” Maven shot back. “You needed help.” Lily bristled but it was a fact that she couldn’t deny. 

“How did you get there anyway?,” Severus asked, his eyes shooting up from behind his wall of greasy hair. “Our class isn’t on your route.” 

Lily realized that it _was_ odd. Severus and her had been on their way to Potions with the Gryffindors while the Hufflepuffs went...wherever it was Hufflepuffs went. Maybe the class was just nearby? 

Maven smiled and shrugged. “I got lost.” She didn’t offer more than that. The Hogwarts grounds were hard to get the rhythm of and Lily could easily see Maven getting lost somewhere and stumbling onto the scene. 

“But you didn’t need to _punch_ them.,” Sev added petulantly, sitting up now. “We would’ve been fine!” 

“No, you wouldn’t have.,” Maven said surely. “Besides, you are my friends! It was worth it!” Maven laughed and the sound echoed off of the walls of the infirmary. It drew more of Sirius’s glares and Sev’s ire. 

“But you’ll be targeted too!,” Severus tried to argue. Maven laughed again then winced as it pulled one of the bruises on her cheek. 

“It was worth it. We’re friends, right?” 

Lily took a moment to consider the strange girl in front of her. She thought of the limited interactions they had had and how happy they had been on the train. Maven didn’t even need to ask. 

“Of course!,” Lily stated proudly. Severus was quiet for a few seconds later before he answered. 

“I suppose so.” He sounded annoyed but Lily saw that he couldn’t keep the smile off of his face. Severus shot her a look when he noticed her watching and hid once more in the curtains of his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Sirius and James "matured" at the end but I feel that there should have been more than one person who knocked some sense into them. Not pictured is James Potter feeling conflicted over seeing Lily Evans beat up his best friend, because she beat up his best friend! But also Lily Evans, coolest girl in school, beat up his best friend!


	4. The First Full Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus stays in the Hospital Wing after his first full moon at Hogwarts and meets not so surprising company.

Remus winced as he walked into the hospital wing, trying not to make a sound as he collapsed onto the nearest bed and allowed his pale body a moment to rest. The moment he did his body exploded into a bundle of burning-hot needles as flaming coals burned around his newest scars. Remus let out a moan of pain. He had thought that he would be used to his transformation by now.

He thought that he would’ve learned how to manage the pain, how to stop his werewolf side from scratching and hurting both of them. Remus felt like he was four years old again and just waking up from the true extent of what Greybeck did. 

Madam Pomfrey came running over to him, her wand out and glowing as she began to recant spells. Her eyes displayed her fear and anger over seeing a patient like this yet she didn’t flinch as she cleaned the blood off him and closed his newest wounds. 

By the time she was done Remus felt more tired than he had ever been. His pain wasn’t as strong as it had been before but it was still there. It sent electric pulses through him as a constant reminder of the curse he now had to live with. 

He reclined further into his bed and moved slowly into a comfortable position. Remus warily eyed the small army of healing potions Madam Pomfrey had forced upon him. He knew from personal experience that it was worse if he  _ didn’t  _ take them 

Remus sat up to grab one, gritting his teeth and blinking tears away from his eyes as his bruised and battered body tried to force him to lay back down. 

“It’s for our own good.,” He told himself, stretching just far enough to grab the bottle before immediately reclining again. He popped the cork and winced at the acrid smell wafting from the bottle. 

Before he could take a sip the hospital wing doors opened beside him. Remus felt a jolt of fear go through him. He put the cork back on and ignored another wave of pain as he rushed to cover himself up as much as possible. He didn’t know who or what was heading into the hospital at this hour but he could  _ not  _ be seen like this. 

Another person stepped inside, the dark of the surrounding hallway covering their face. Remus could only makeout basic details. They were short and wore the required black sleeping robes.  _ Another student.  _

Their footsteps were a thick limp as something dripped onto the floor. The smell of copper filled the room as the figure swayed and stumbled their way to Madam Pomfrey’s office. Whoever they were, they were hurt badly. 

The door opened and a thin beam of light illuminated a thick head of curly black hair before the door shut again. The hospital wing was once again quiet. Remus could see various lights and muffled spells going off behind the office doors as Madam Pomfrey performed her magic. 

Remus hoped for a moment that they would stay in her office forever. Then he felt terrible for thinking this way. He wouldn’t wish this pain on  _ anyone  _ and instead tried to hope that they would be reasonable enough to hear him out. 

The spellcasting stopped and the doors opened once more. The lighting behind them illuminated Maven Ashe’s haunted face clearly as she allowed herself to be led further into the hospital wing. She was given the bed next to Remus as Madam Pomfrey darted her eyes between the two of them. 

“There will be no... _ disagreements  _ while you’re in here.,” She commanded. “Merlin knows you two are hurt enough already.” 

Remus nodded his understanding but kept his eyes on Maven. She looked like she had crawled out of a grave. She was covered in a layer of dirt that stood out against her black robes. She moved mechanically with all traces of her usual energy drained. She barely responded to Madam Pomfrey’s announcement and sat on the bed in stony silence. 

Her arms held a map of scars. They were varying lengths but it was clear something big had done this. Maven glared at him when she caught him staring and he quickly looked away. 

Madam Pomfrey gave them both significant looks before going back inside of her office.

The moment she did Maven regained some of her former energy. She quickly rolled down her sleeves and turned to face him. 

“So where are they?,” She asked. 

“Who?” 

“Your friends.” Maven looked around the hospital wing in search of James and Sirius. Remus would’ve thought it was absurd but he wouldn’t put it past them. 

Ever since the fight a week ago Maven had been thick as thieves with Severus and Lily, the trio finding ways to be around each other despite House differences. Remus had watched as James and Sirius reacted to the new change, Sirius with hatred and James with envy. 

Their attacks against Severus had grown stronger but happened half as often as they used to. Now their numbers were even. James and Sirius had the magical advantage but had proven quickly to be useless in physical fights. 

“ _ Why’d she choose that Hufflepuff to be her friend anyway?,”  _ James would rant. “ _ I’m much better, I’m in her House! That’s almost as bad as Snivellus! At least I can speak English properly. _ ” Remus had wanted to add that Maven  _ did  _ speak English properly and it wasn’t her fault that she had an accent. Remus had wanted to tell James that bullying Lily’s friends was doing  _ nothing  _ to help him but he had remained silent. As ever. 

“It’s just me.,” Remus finally answered. Maven didn’t look convinced but she had no other options at the moment. The tang of copper and sweat still covered both of them and the healing potions by their beds gave away signs most people wouldn’t notice. Unless they were looking for them already. 

“I didn’t think there would be another one here.,” Remus ventured. He could still remember the night that Dumbledore had walked into his home and asked if he had wanted to go to Hogwarts. It had felt like a godsend as all of Remus’s dreams had come true. Now he felt relieved in the knowledge that there was someone else here who knew what he was going through. 

Then his mood soured when he remembered that they probably hated him. 

“I suspected, you know, on the train that you were-” 

“I am a what?” Maven interrupted. Remus felt himself turn bright red. If he had read this wrong. If she wasn’t-  _ Oh Merlin if he had read this wrong.  _ Remus’s heart stopped. 

“You know, a were-” 

“I’m not one.” She cut him off. Her words were like broken glass. Maven’s eyes were sharp as she looked back at him. “And you’re not one either. We both weren’t here.” 

“But-” 

“We both  _ can’t  _ be here. You and I both know what will happen if they find out.” 

Remus didn’t need to be reminded. He could already imagine how James and Sirius’s faces would morph into grimaces of disgust and anger. Remus could see the student body turning on him in a second and being cast out of Hogwarts without a second thought. Remus knew that he walked a thin line with each day that he spent here. 

Maven turned away from him to watch the growing strands of sunlight from her spot in the the Hospital Wing. Hogwarts would come alive once more even as two monsters walked the halls. Remus shuddered at the thought of explaining his new injuries to Sirius and James without drawing suspicion. 

But as the sun peeked over the windows and the room brightened his worries felt inconsequential. 

“So we’re stuck with each other then.,” Remus summarized. “So we’ll have to work together.” 

“Why would I do that? I don’t like you.” Remus felt hurt but he expected that. He wasn’t prepared for her next sentence. “I don’t like cowards.” 

Maven’s insult landed like a gunshot. Immediately a bolt of shame filled him as Remus thought of how he had spent his first month at Hogwarts. Standing idly by while his friends bullied others in the hopes that their hatred wouldn’t turn on him. 

_ But you weren’t the one doing the bullying,  _ a voice tried to soothe him. It wasn’t working. Doing nothing was almost worse than doing anything at all. 

“But you’re right.,” Maven conceded. “But we work together only for this.” 

Remus couldn’t find the voice to agree and hummed his agreement. There were dozens of things that Remus should’ve been worrying about but he couldn’t find it in him to care at the moment. Remus just enjoyed the bright promise of a new day alongside someone who knew how bright the morning sun could be after a night in the dark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Remus was a bit tougher to write, but it was still interesting being inside of his head nonetheless. Thus the First Werewolf Alliance of Hogwarts is formed! It's fitting that the first werewolf chapter is posted this close to Halloween. Happy Holidays!


	5. The End of First Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the first year is finally upon Severus, Lily, and Maven. With it brings new changes but only is the end of a promising beginning.

Caution: Abuse Mention

Severus Snape was having the worst day of his life. His ears rang as blood rushed to his head, making it impossible for him to hear the voices in Dumbledore’s office. He kept his head down as he focused on his pale, bony hands as they twisted and turned around each other. 

Severus had half a mind to run but he knew that it was impossible.There was nowhere _to_ go anyway. The Slytherin common room and nearby dungeons might offer safety but that would be fleeting. Dumbledore would simply march right in and pull him out. 

Lily and Maven were both in class so they were out too. Severus knew that they would skip for him if he needed but he hated the thought of it. Severus stayed put because he wanted to prove that he was stronger than this. He was strong enough to weather James and Sirius so he could weather this. He wasn’t some helpless maiden in need of saving. He was doing just fine. 

If he told himself that enough times then maybe it would be true. 

There was a spike in voices that was quickly cut off. Severus idly wondered what spell Dumbledore had just used and if it was available in the library. 

The corridor was quiet once more, leaving Severus alone with his thoughts. He didn’t have to ask what the conversation was about. He had seen the way Madam Pomfrey’s face pinched after she had performed her first diagnostic spell. He had sat in her office and listened to her questions about his home life and what his parents were like. 

At first he had simply dodged them then he had switched to insults when that didn’t work. Normally adults didn’t even bother to ask but he had underestimated Madam Pomfrey. She was cleverer than he had expected and simply changed the nature of her questioning. He felt answers being drawn out of him as she had expected nothing less than the truth. 

After that she had offered him candy and gone out of her way to be as pleasant as possible to him whenever he found himself underneath her care. He hated it. He didn’t want or _need_ her pity and damned James Potter and his friends to Hell. 

He especially didn’t need the sadness that rose in him as he knew that he had never been treated that nicely by an adult before. He hated the fear that filled him whenever he thought of home with his mother’s fearful silence and his father’s twisted ‘ _punishments’._ His ribs ached at the memory. 

As the months began to pass Severus had thought the matter had been dropped until Mr and Mrs Evans walked into Hogwarts. Severus wasn’t sure _how_ they had gotten to the school, much less _inside_ of it but they walked with a faint sense of awe and purpose. Madam Pomfrey strode in front of them, not saying a word as led Severus away from Maven and Lily and towards Dumbledore’s office. 

Severus’s musing was interrupted when the gargoyle door opened and Mr and Mrs Evans strode out. Mrs. Evans looked angry while Mr. Evans' hands were screwed into tight fists by his side. Severus felt himself instinctually stiffen at the pose, catching Mrs. Evans eyes. 

Her face immediately morphed into one of pity as she moved closer. She moved slowly, as if she was approaching a deer. 

“Severus, I have something very important to ask you.,” She said in a slow voice, crouching down so that they were eye level. “Would you like to spend the summer with us?” 

Severus wanted to say that was what he planned on doing anyway but he knew what her question meant. It would mean living with them for the summer and not returning to his own home. Mrs. Evans scrutinized him as he considered it. He couldn’t care less about his bastard of a father but he didn’t think his mother would be strong enough to stay there alone. 

She had endured more than she should’ve had but his mother always felt like a rickety bridge. She could carry more than you expected but if you pushed too hard she would break. 

“It’ll be just for this summer!,” Mrs Evans added as she sensed his hesitation. “You could spend every day with Lily and Petunia!” Severus frowned at the mention of their oldest child but Mrs. Evans didn’t notice. Severus could feel Mr. Evans gaze on him as he considered Mrs Evans' words.

“Okay.,” He agreed finally. She smiled and Severus knew that this was already the decided outcome for him. Summer wasn’t too far away and Severus was sure he and Petunia could put up with each other for a couple of weeks. 

Throughout the last months of the school year Severus found his mind quickly taken off of the upcoming summer. His last months were filled with hurried preparation for finals. Even James and Sirius’s attacks stopped as the Golden Boys found themselves struggling under the pressure.

“We’re done!,” Maven had cried once exams were over. She flopped down onto the grass of the Great Lawn in relief. Lily giggled and laid beside her while Severus took a seat next to them. 

“I thought they’d never end.,” Lily added with a sigh. “How’d you do Severus?” 

“Well. Slughorn’s was a bloody joke.” 

Lily laughed. “It was so easy! All you had to do was follow the textbook.”

“Bivins’ was a pain in the ass.,” Maven interjected.

“Don’t remind me of it.,” Lily groaned, throwing her arm over her eyes. 

“You should have taken better notes then,” Severus said smugly, poking her arm. He decidedly ignored that despite the hours of studying they did the test still confused him.

“I did! He just never stops _talking._ ” 

“Then _listen._ ” 

“How? He makes everything so boring!” 

“I know!,” Maven groaned. “There were so many goblin wars and he sucks all the fun out of them!How many legendary weapons were created back then?” Her eyes glittered. 

“Probably hundreds.,” Sev agreed, trying to think back. “It’s how many are still around that is the question.” 

Maven tilted her head back in thought. “Most of them might be, goblin weapons are _strong_ but the better question is _where_ to find them.” 

“Gringotts maybe?,” Lily offered. 

“Probably. They might also be scattered throughout various goblin lines and tribes.” 

“Why would you want to have them anyway?,” Severus asked. “You have a wand for a reason.” 

“I don’t want to have them.,” Maven stated as she propped up on her elbows. “If I did I would _use_ them. They’re legendary weapons and all they’re doing is rusting on a wall somewhere.” 

“But why would you use them? You can do magic!,” Lily replied. Maven shrugged. 

“Wands are cool but you don’t need them to do magic. Wands are easy to steal or lose. A weapon’s harder to take.” 

Severus tried to think of a good rebuttal. “Wands are tradition!,” He declared. Maven rolled her eyes. 

“For _you_ maybe. Not everyone uses wands.,” She shrugged. “My dad does magic without them. At Uagadou they teach you to do hand movements.” Maven moved her hands around and a flame appeared at the end of her pointer finger. Severus watched as she moved it to each finger on both hands before extinguishing it with a clap. 

“That’s amazing!,” Lily cried. “Can you teach me?” 

“Sure!” The two girls sat cross-legged facing each other before moving so that they were in a circle when Severus came closer. 

“So what you want to do here is…,” Maven began to explain. By the end of her impromptu lesson both Lily and Severus could produce flames on their fingers. Severus tried to focus on alternating between fingers while Lily tried to control the volume of it. 

“Do you know any more?,” Severus asked after a successful try to make it move to his middle finger. Maven laughed nervously. 

“A couple, but I’m hoping my Baba will teach me when I go home for the summer.,” Maven added. At the mention of the upcoming break Severus was quickly reminded of the sudden turn his life had taken. He wondered if Lily knew yet. 

“If he does then will you teach us some more?,” Lily asked as she changed the volume of her flame before extinguishing it. 

Maven pretended to consider it but already a smile was crossing her lips.   
“I don’t know. I mean if wands are _so_ traditional.” Severus glared at her. 

“Wands are great but they aren’t necessary for magic.” Maven gave him a satisfied grin. “I still would prefer one over a sword any day.” 

“ _Really?”_

The days until summer passed in a haze as teachers concluded their classes and the entirety of Hogwarts held its breath. On that last Feast it was Gryffindor who won the House Cup that year. Severus had glared at the red banners but clapped politely in honor of Lily. 

Severus spent most of the train ride back talking with Lily and Maven and laughing at each other’s faces as they each ate a Box of Bert’s Every Flavor Beans. Severus’s best was the peppermint and worst was toenails. 

He changed into his muggle clothes with trepidation and stepped off of the train, immediately finding Mrs. Evans waiting for him and Lily on the platform. The space was filled with a sad air as all three of them realized that this was goodbye. 

“It’s not forever.,” Maven consoled them as she gripped her red trunk tighter. “I’ll try to send you a...letter.” Severus laughed at Maven’s confused face as he basked once more in the glory and realization that he had a friend waiting for him in the Wizarding World. 

“Try not to cry _too_ much over me.”Maven waved goodbye and walked over to where her parents stood. The Ashe’s had been watching them with interest and Severus felt a pang of jealousy as he watched them brighten at Maven’s presence. Severus took a moment to watch the happy family before Lily gripped his arm and led him away.

“Have you had a good year?,” Mrs. Evans asked. 

“Yes ma’am!,” Lily replied. Severus nodded. Mrs. Evans smiled and ruffled their hair. 

“Good! You can tell me all about it in the car. Petunia’s waiting.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of first year! We're finally here! Once again comments are welcome! Thanks to everyone whose left kudos so far!


	6. The First Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily, Severus and Petunia hold a movie night while across town Mr. and Mrs. Evans meet with one Tobias Snape

“That Candyman’s a git.,” Severus announced the moment Charlie left the scene. 

“Severus!,” Lily chastised but she knew it was useless. Throughout most of the movie Severus had been offering his thoughts about whatever was going on, most of them negative. Lily was just glad he was offering anything at all. His summer stay at the Evans’ home had given the family more than enough time to get used to his sour personality. Petunia only sniffed from her spot on Lily’s right, rolling her eyes. 

“Everyone else can come in and get whatever they want but Charlie can’t?” 

“It’s a  _ song,  _ Severus. It’s not meant to be realistic.” 

“Well Charlie’s  _ poor., _ ” Petunia sniffed as if that answered everything. She was pretending to paint her nails but Lily could see Tuney looking up through the corner of her eyes. Severus’s mouth tightened but neither of them pushed it any further. 

“Charlie should’ve taken the money.,” Severus said once they got to the part where Charlie found his Golden Ticket. Lily sighed as Petunia hummed her agreement.

“But then he can’t find out what is inside the factory!,” Lily shot back. 

“Well  _ I  _ would have taken the money.” 

“Same here.,” Tuney agreed. “Who needs a chocolate factory anyway? He could do a lot with five hundred dollars.” 

“Where’s your sense of adventure?!,” Lily cried. 

“Never had one.” 

“An adventure wouldn’t feed my family.” 

Lily sighed once more. “You’re hopeless!” She laughed. It was times like these that she felt the closest to her favorite people in the world. 

Petunia’s mouth tilted upwards. The pinched expression she had taken to wearing the last couple of days was gone and replaced with a half smile as she watched Charlie on his magical adventure. 

Lily couldn’t help but think of her own magical time at Hogwarts. It had been fun but came at a steep price. Lily and Severus were now a year behind on the Muggle world, something Tuney had hammered in on the drive home. Tuney had a new group of friends at school. Muggle friends whose parents would pick her up in the mornings and drop her off in the late afternoons. 

Lily knew it was wrong to be jealous about it. She couldn’t have expected Tuney to sit like a bump on a log for a year while she had fun at Hogwarts. When Petunia home she talked about shows Lily had never seen, events Lily had never been to, and people Lily had never met. 

Lily’s stomach clenched each time. Lily’s mind would turn to the spellbooks and wand that were collecting dust in her closet. She would think of the hundreds of magical children she had gone to school with and the stories she had to tell. 

When she did tell them Lily would watch her family closely. Her mother’s eyes would brighten and her father would go quiet as they were lost in her words. Petunia would scowl and leave, storming off into her bedroom. 

Lily tried not to tell her stories as often. 

Severus’s stay helped somewhat. It had been a pleasant surprise for Lily, to find out that her best friend was staying the summer and she planned to make the most of it.

Lily looked over at him now. His eyes never left the screen for a moment even as he reached out a silent hand towards the food bowl. Petunia passed him a handful of popcorn as he hummed his thanks. 

Lily didn’t dwell on the scene for much longer as she lost herself to the bright lights and  _ world of pure imagination.  _ When the movie was finished it was deep in the night while the windows around them were pitch black. 

Petunia snored from where she had laid her head down onto the couch. The static tv screen accentuated her pale face and strong, horse like-nose. Her hair was a mud-colored stain around her, the thin strands spread out all over her face. Lily knew that if Petunia could see herself right now she would hate it. 

“We..have to,...,” Severus mumbled, shaking his head. “Put the tape away.” Lily watched his blurry form stand up and felt the couch shift once more as he returned. Petunia shifted beside them. 

“S’allright.,” She reassured. “My parents will be home...in a few.” Severus mumbled something more but Lily was too far gone to hear it. The three Spinner’s End kids fell asleep, blissfully unaware of the actions that had just transpired across town. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you asked Mr Evans to describe himself the first thing that would come to mind would be his temper. The mild-mannered man came from a family of people whose tempers ran hot and often. He had grown up surrounded by fighting and loud arguments, finished by a door slamming as somebody got the last word in. After that would come tense silence before somebody gave in to their conscience and quietly apologized. 

Nobody had been more surprised than Mr. Evans when he had come out the black sheep of the family. He rarely let things reach the breaking point of arguments and was often able to find effective solutions for them if they did. It had allowed him to be on the better end of Spinner’s End and had given him many long and happy years with his wife.

That mild-mannered man now  _ shook  _ with fury as he tried not to cause a scene while he glared down at the squat form of Tobias Snape. His hands were tightly packed fists by his side as he looked everywhere except for the dirty man nursing an ale.

The bar was packed with factory workers relaxing after long shifts. Dirty faces sat around even dirtier tables as the smell of meat and beer filled the air. The sounds of conversation created a calming background noise for him as he focused on his breathing. 

The entrance bell rang and his wife strode in. She was dressed in her light pink skirt and heels while her chest heaved from how fast she had moved to get here. Her light green eyes landed first on him before freezing as she regarded the back of Tobias. 

“They’re watching a movie.,” She told him, striding over. “I told them to not let  _ anyone  _ inside.” 

She spat the word like venom, her eyes as cold as emeralds and narrowed into slits at Tobias. Tobias looked up from his mug and groused when he saw Mrs. Evans standing next to her husband. 

“Send her out.,” He commanded. “This is men’s business.” 

“You don’t get to make demands. Anything you have to say to her you can say to me. You’re lucky we even showed up at all.,” Mr.Evans warned him. Tobias shot daggers at him but didn’t push it. He could tell it wasn’t a fight he could win. He coughed into his hand, wiping it on his dirty rag of a beard. 

“I want my boy back.,”Tobias stated as he darted his eyes between the two of them. “You’ve had him long enough, time for him to come back.” 

“ _ That isn’t happening., _ ” Mrs. Evans spat. “You had your chance, he’s staying with us for the summer.” 

“You gon’ let your woman talk to me like that?” 

“She will talk however she damn well pleases.,” Mr. Evans informed him. “And you’re going to listen to whatever she says.” She stepped forward from behind him, her face determined. 

“Who determined that huh?,” Tobias asked. “Someone from that pansy school you drove him to?” 

“We did.” Tobias’s eyes narrowed. 

“That little shit said something didn’t he?” Tobias’s tone was offhand yet Mr. Evans could see repressed fury turning his eyes into flaming coals. It was clear that Tobias was planning on creating pain if Severus came back. 

Forget calm. He started towards Tobias but stopped when he felt a hand on his. Mrs. Evans looked up at him, allowing Mr. Evans to see the pits of fury they had become. 

_ “Remember her advice.,”  _ Mrs. Evans mouthed. Mr. Evans stopped as Nurse Pomfrey’s warnings flew back at him. Focus on getting the child to safety before focusing on the offender.

“Bitch has got you ‘round the balls huh?,” Tobias commented, gesturing his mug over at them. 

“If you know what’s good for you you’ll shut that  _ shithole  _ you’ve got for a mouth.” 

Tobias only raised his eyebrows and took another long drink. Mrs.

“I had been willing to give you the benefit of the doubt here,Tobias, but clearly you don’t deserve it. There is nothing Severus has said or done to tell us of his...situation and we wouldn’t have known a thing if it weren’t for a Good Samaritan we were lucky to meet.” Mrs. Evans’ hands pinched the sides of her skirt as she talked. 

“I don’t know what you put that boy through and I don’t plan to know. But hear this Tobias, it stops now. Severus is staying with us where we can make sure he never has to hear a word of you again.” Tobias began to speak but Mrs. Evans put her hand up. 

“I don’t care what you have to say about it.  _ For now  _ we won’t be pressing charges but that comes with conditions. Number one: You will leave Severus alone. After this moment you two are strangers to each other and  _ should  _ you wish to see him you will have to go through us.” Mrs. Evans eyes traveled the pub leisurely before focusing once more on Tobias. 

“Number two: I want to see Eileen. She and I have some very important things to discuss and none of them are happening within your earshot” She turned her head towards her husband. “Now you can have your  _ men’s business.”  _

Tobias had barely reacted. He watched Mrs. Evans like he was planning her murder. The mug beside him never left his hand. 

In a second it was on the floor. Immediately the din quieted as Mr. Evans dropped his hand, chest heaving. 

“Bastard!,” Tobias yelled. “Pay for that and each one from now on. And tell your wife-”

“You’re done giving orders here Tobias. Pay for it yourself.” Mr. Evans stormed out of the bar. He could feel eyes on him and he knew that he would never hear the end of this. 

He didn’t care. 

Mrs. Evans laced her fingers through his, her thumb rubbing circles on his hand. They didn’t say a word as they went home. 

Inside the living room the TV had fallen to static and casted a blue-gray sheen over the sleeping forms of the children. Snores filled the room as Mr. Evans felt his anger float away. Mrs. Evans was already heading for blankets. 

Mr. Evans tucked them in as his wife kissed each of their foreheads. 

“This won’t last forever.,” He reminded his wife as they lay in bed that night. He felt her nod against his chest. 

“It doesn’t change anything.” The Evans parents had been endeared with Severus Snape since the moment Lily had dragged him home, an angry looking boy in tattered and over sized clothes. Over the years they had watched them grow together and now were comforted in the knowledge that they were able to help the boy who had done so much for Lily. Whether Severus Snape knew it or not, he was now considered an honorary Evans. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish that there was more information available about Lily Evans. I think that her and Severus Snape's friendship was Great and that Lily Evans went underappreciated by Mrs. R*wling. It was interesting writing the bar scene since the names of her parents are still unknowns. I think Severus and Petunia's relationship sucks because they're so alike that they can't help but hate each other. As always comments are welcome!


	7. The Second Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus Black quietly simpers next to Severus Snape after the sorting. Severus is annoyed, and then bewildered as a deal is struck, a challenge accepted, and enemies made.

Regulus Black quietly simpers next to Severus as soon as the Sorting ends. His dark black hair covers his face as silent tear drops fall into his stew. Regulus’s sadness fills the air around them like a stench, making it impossible for Severus to ignore him.

The rest of the Slytherin table politely pretends not to notice but Severus can feel their rising ire. Severus tilts his head so that his greasy hair hides his face in an attempt to distance himself. Severus stares daggers at Regulus, who doesn’t seem to notice. 

It’s clear that someone will have to step in and as the closest person to him, Severus has the responsibility by default. He sighs and shoots a glance towards Lily, wishing for the umpteenth time that she’d been Sorted Slytherin. She’d know what to do here. 

Her red hair shines in the candlelight as she throws her head back to laugh. The sound carries over to him and Severus is comforted in the knowledge that she’s happy where she is. Severus grimaces under the weight of his own selfishness. He thinks of the amazing summer he came back from and decides to make this  _ one  _ effort. 

Severus can already hear her goading him on. He doesn't know what to say, exactly, but he’s sure he can think of something. Severus pushes his hair back and studies Regulus. 

“So you’re a Black.,” He ventures. “I thought you would be different.” Regulus sniffles beside him. 

“What does that mean?,” His voice is thick and cracks on the final word. 

Severus shrugs. “Greater?” 

Regulus sniffles again. “More like my brother you mean?” 

Severus laughs at that. “That arse? I was thinking less. Not like..” He makes vague hand gestures in Regulus’s direction. Regulus is actually looking at him now. Tear tracks shine on pale cheeks while his face is red and blotchy. His glittering brown eyes are rimmed in red but Severus is proud to notice that no more tears fall. 

He decides to count that as a win. 

Regulus nods in understanding as he wipes his nose on his robe. Severus watches the action with disgust, moving away from him on the bench. 

“My parents expected more from him.,” Regulus says sadly. “He was their favorite, meant to be the Golden Boy.” Regulus smiles as his eyes grow distant. He’s looking off into the distance and Severus knows that he’s staring at Sirius. 

The boy’s eyes shine as tears fall down his cheeks once more. 

“Oh hell...” Severus mumbles as he watches Regulus. He tries to think of another olive branch before the rest of the table sees. He wishes he could ask Lily for advice. 

“You didn’t tell me that they had fish here, Severus!,” Maven interrupts, coming over to them. A basket full of rolls is stuffed underneath her arm as she holds her golden plate.Her eyes wander the Slytherin table’s delicacies as conversations end in her wake.

Maven takes a seat beside Regulus, seemingly immune to the death stares she’s receiving. There’s a low hum of furious whispers around her and Severus looks over at the teacher’s table for help. Slughorn, of course, is focused only on his food while Professor Sprout is watching Maven curiously. 

Maven slams her basket in the middle of the table, forcing other students to move dishes out of the way. The bread rolls shift together, releasing the heavenly atomas of butter and baked bread. Severus’s stomach growls and he takes a bite off of his own plate.

“How was your summer?,” Maven asks. 

“ _ What are you doing here?, _ ” Severus’s eyes shift towards the Hufflepuff table. He catches the flashes of heads turning as a few nosy Hufflepuffs are caught staring. 

“I’m eating dinner with you.” Maven reached out a fork to take a hesitant bite of some type of fish stew. Her nose wrinkled yet she pulled the bowl closer to her. 

“You shouldn’t  _ be  _ here-” 

“He’s right,  _ Hufflepuff., _ ” Avery intercepted. His piggy eyes moved over Maven’s form in a way that made Severus’s skin crawl. “You should go back to where you came from.” 

“And you should shut your mouth.,” Maven retorted, scowling. Avery laughed at her yet already a few students were backing away. 

“Besides, then none of you will be able to get  _ these., _ ” She gestured towards the untouched basket. 

“Baked goods?,” Mulciber piped up. Maven nodded. 

“They’re special rolls,  _ only  _ available at the Hufflepuff table. Try one!,” She pronounced and shoved the basket in his direction. Mulciber looked shaken at being the center of attention but he grabbed a roll anyway. The moment he took a bite he made a loud noise of appreciation. The roll was gone in seconds. 

His face went red when he noticed the rest of the table staring at him. Mulciber cleared his throat. 

“They’re good.” And that was it. Immediately the basket was passed around by scoffins Slytherins. Maven used the distraction to discreetly push two rolls in Severus’s direction. He blinked at the food and put the second one on Regulus’s plate. 

“Thanks,” Regulus whispered. Severus nodded as he watched the strange change coming over his House members. 

“So,” Maven said as Avery finished his. “Still think I shouldn’t be here?” Avery glared at her but Lucius interjected. 

“If you bring  _ those  _ with you, then you can stay.” The two shook on it before the table was back to normal. Avery backed down, muttering darkly under his breath but Severus paid him little mind. 

“You must be Regulus Black.,” Maven said as she finished another bite of fish stew. Regulus’s spine straightened as he self-consciously wiped the last of the tear tracks off of his skin. 

“I am. Are you Maven Ashe?” 

“Yep! The person sitting next to you would be my friend, Severus Snape.” Regulus glanced at him and Severus flushed as he remembered he had never introduced himself. 

“My brother talks about you a lot.” 

Maven nodded as she finished her fish stew. “Good things?” 

Regulus didn’t answer. 

“I wouldn’t expect him to. We did spend most of last year kicking his ass.,” Severus interjected. 

“That’s not what he said!” 

“What did he say then?,” Maven raised an eyebrow. 

“He said that you only won because you didn’t fight fair.,” Regulus responded. He cut into his meat with precision, alternating between the various types of cutlery available to him expertly. “You were more used to brawling than he is.” 

Severus sniffed. “Not our fault he can’t throw a punch.” Maven rolled her eyes but didn’t disagree. 

“Of course he can’t!,” Regulus cried. “It’s not  _ proper! _ ” Severus and Maven winced. Severus had heard his fair share of proper last year and knew that whatever it was, it wasn’t him. He had picked up a few things but he always felt like an imposter using them. His mother had tried her hardest but ultimately Severus was still some dingy kid from Spinner’s End. 

_ But it won’t always be like that,  _ he consoled himself. He would make a name for himself and the other snooty Slytherins could stick their proper where the sun didn’t shine. 

“Then he should stop picking fights.,” Another from Maven. “He had no problem starting them last year.” 

“S’not our fault he’s an arse.,” Severus agreed as he finished off his dish. A final bite of venison and he had just enough room left in him for desert. 

“I’m glad you’re not like him.,” Maven agreed. 

Regulus had a confused look on his face as his brown eyes darted between the two. Severus could see his brain trying to come up with a good defense but ultimately falling short. Reglus sniffed snootily instead and turned his attention once more to his plate. 

“You think I don’t know that already?,” Regulus spat. His knuckles whitened as his hands clenched around the golden cutlery. 

“No. I don’t think you  _ understand  _ that already. You don’t need to be like him. We’ve been talking and I would much rather talk to you than your brother.” 

“And why not? Am I just some kind of pity prize?! A second chance at the real thing?!” 

“No! I don’t  _ care  _ about Sirius Black right now! I want to hang out with you!” Their voices carry across the Great Hall. The sounds of conversation stop as heads whip towards them, eyes widening when they notice Maven’s yellow scarf in the midst of the sea of green around her. 

To their credit, Slytherin house pulls in tighter and gives their best death stares to the rest of the population. Severus’s eyes immediately watch the Gryffindor table. 

Lily has a smirk on her face as she takes in the scene. A girl next to her whispers into her ear but Lily doesn’t seem to notice. She gives an approving nod when she catches Severus’s eye before turning to say something back. 

Severus moves towards the other group at the table, who watches them darkly. Sirius’s mouth is pointing down, his eyes darkening with anger as they dart between Maven and Regulus. His smile is like an unsheathed blade when their eyes meet. A rush of ice goes down Severus’s spine. 

Regulus’s voice lowers. “Prove it then. Tomorrow.” 

Maven glares as she accepts the challenge, tearing into her food with a new ferocity. After the Feast is over, Severus remembers with a shock that her scars had multiplied. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this one coming out a bit later. I got into a bit of writer's block but I'm trying to keep a consistent schedule of at least one chapter a week. I really like the headcanons of different Houses having different types of food, so Slytherin food is more posh and fancy while Hufflepuff food is more earthy. I'm going to be cliche here and call the rolls HufflePuffs because Why Not. These past two chapters have been a bit more mundane but we're getting back to the magic soon! As always comments and kudos are appreciated!


	8. Mornings and Mudbloods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus Black wakes up before the dawn to go greet Maven's challenge. After which Regulus rethinks his own morals as he faces challenges of his own.

The sky is dark around Regulus Black as he steps out onto the Great Lawn. The grass is wet with morning dew and sticks to the bottom of his robes, releasing a fresh, earthy scent with each step he takes. The stars have disappeared in the darkened sky around them and a faint tinge of purple is coming up over the Forbidden Forest. 

Regulus stumbles as he makes his way over to the lake, his wand’s light barely helping to pierce the dark around him. He can’t help but think of what his mother would do if she saw him like this. 

_ A Black should never debase himself like this!!,  _ his mother would shriek. Regulus can almost feel her hands reaching for him and hear the oncoming lecture. His father would only shrug and stay silent as Walburga worked herself into a frenzy. Regulus could hear Sirius’s muffled laughter in the background. 

_ You look like one of the Malfoy peacocks!,  _ he’d laugh. Regulus quietly chuckled thinking about it but then his mind flashed to the look Sirius gave him when he was Sorted. He didn’t feel like laughing anymore. 

He shivers as a breeze blows through him and considers heading back into the Slytherin dormitory. There he could wring out a few more hours of sleep from his soft, warm bed before a hot meal in the Great Hall. But Maven’s note had told him to come here before dawn. 

She had written it on a napkin and slipped it to him as they left the Feast. Her promise convinced him that this would be worth it and he had come too far to back down now. 

A figure is sitting near the lake. Regulus nearly mistakes them for a rock before he sees their shoulders drop. 

“Maven?,” He calls. Their head turns and they bring up their own lit wand. Maven’s scarred face is peering back at him, her eyes glittering. Regulus blinks and the effect is gone. 

“I thought you wouldn’t come.” Regulus sighs as he makes his way over to her. 

“I almost didn’t. I hope you’re planning on showing me something special, otherwise I froze my arse off out here for nothing.” He winced as he sat down, feeling the wet grass through his robes. His mother began to furiously reprimand him but he ignored it in favor of creating a divot in the ground. 

“You’d deserve it.,” Maven replied, her voice low. “I mean  _ you  _ started it.” 

“ _ You  _ accepted it.,” Regulus shot back.. “I wouldn’t have done it if I knew it meant this.” 

“The view is amazing here!,” Maven told him. “ _ Look. _ ” 

The sky was lighting. The faint purple over the Forbidden Forest was everywhere now and a diverse ray of oranges and pinks were following behind it. The Lake in front of them gently rolled and splashed while there was furious movement underneath the surface. 

Regulus brought his feet closer to him. Regulus had never forgotten the stories Sirius had told him of merpeople dragging unsuspecting wizards into the deep and drowning them. 

The sun was coming up over the forest, bringing light and warmth to Hogwarts. The Forbidden Forest began to shift itself as whatever creatures that lived inside it woke up or went to sleep. Regulus relaxed in the welcome heat. 

“Do you do this often?,” Regulus asked. 

“I do it when I get homesick. One of my favorite memories is watching the sun rise with my mother and my Baba.” 

“My mother likes to tell me stories before bed. She tells me about my ancestors and how they changed the Wizarding World forever.” He doesn’t mention how it would turn into a tirade against the state of things now. Walburga would rant about the mudbloods and half-bloods,“dirty little thieves”, who she believed should be wiped out. 

Regulus tries to think of what he knew about Maven’s own family. Walburga, who was normally so adamant about everything, had been dead quiet when Sirius had brought up the topic. Regulus remembered how her face pinched as if she was smelling something unpleasant and her eyes went stony. It was clear that something had gone down between their families but he had no idea what it was. 

“Your family must be important to you then.,” Regulus says. 

“Isn’t yours?” 

“Of course,” Regulus shrugs. “It comes with being a pureblood.” 

“I think it just comes with being human.,” Maven says. Regulus laughs bitterly at the term.

“Not in the same way. Your family here is everything and should you have the wrong blood…” He trails off as he suppresses a shiver. While he didn’t always like his family Regulus couldn’t imagine life without them. Being a Black meant always having someone to back you up. 

_ Or control you,  _ a small part of him whispered. 

“What makes the wrong blood?,” Maven asked. Her voice was tight and her eyes were focused on him. In the morning light the contrast between the two of them is clearer than ever. His skin was a sliver of white next to her own while hers was dark and weathered under a map of scars. Her accent had popped out and Regulus thought for the first time how his own sounded to this girl.

“Muggle blood.,” Regulus hears how harsh his voice is, subconsciously matching Walburga’s own. 

“ _ Muggle?”  _

“You know, non-magical. They’re weird and my mother says that no wizard from there turns out right anyway. ” 

“What does your mother have to do with anything? One of my best friends is muggleborn, does that make her  _ bad blood? _ ” Maven’s eyes narrowed and a stone Apparated into Regulus’s stomach.

“She isn’t, but-” 

“But what?!” Maven’s eyes were hard as coals. 

“She’s not good either!,” Regulus spits. “My mother says that she’s a magic thief and no mudblood-” 

Maven shoots up from the ground. Her hands were tightened at her sides and Regulus’s Regulus’s eyes immediately darted towards the wand pinched in them. His hand shoots for his own wand immediately. He knows he would have no chance in a fist fight but maybe with a hex- 

“ _ Binga ya Kijinga!  _ I would never have invited you out here if I knew you were like this.,” Maven yells.“I thought you were better than this pureblood nonsense! But I guess that I was wrong. There is  _ nothing  _ that makes you better than me or anyone else here and I don’t want to be friends with you if you think otherwise.” 

Maven stomped off and Regulus stared at her retreating back. His chest burns and his eyes stung with angry tears. He took a deep breath and something lodged in his throat. 

_ This is a good thing,  _ a voice inside him whispers.  _ Mother and Sirius will be happy.  _ They would probably throw him a damn party if they heard of this and Regulus stands still. But as he watches Maven get farther away he knows that he wouldn’t be able to stomach things like this. 

Regulus ran after Maven, trying to think of a good apology. He knew that he was making a mistake but if his parents could tolerate Sirius being a Gryffindor, they could tolerate this. 

He grabs Maven’s arm once he’s close enough and immediately she jerks it out of his grip. She whipped around to glare at him as he caught his breath. 

“I’m sorry.,” Regulus apologizes immediately. “I shouldn’t have said that-” 

“You shouldn’t have thought of it.,” Maven accuses. Regulus nods. 

“I know.And if your offer still stands,” He struggles to get the next words out, knowing how pathetic he sounds. “ I’d like to be your friend.” 

Maven didn’t say a word. Regulus concentrated on the ground as humiliation burned through him. He considered his other prospects. Avery and Mucliber were a bit mullish but he was sure that they could at the very least be  _ tolerable.  _ Lucius would be friendly but his protection would only last for the years until he graduated. 

“Fine.,” Maven decided. Regulus looked over and saw that her face was made of stone. “But I don’t  _ ever  _ want to hear you say that word again.” Regulus was sure that she would want something more but he accepted her terms. 

They walked in a tense silence towards the Great Hall. The school was awake round them Severus joined them as they walked, his eyes darting between the two of them. After that a red-headed girl followed.

“Hi!,” She introduced herself. “I’m Lily! You’re Regulus, right?” Her smile was as bright as the sun and Regulus knew that this was the muggleborn friend Maven was talking about. He tried to give her a genuine smile as he stuck out his hand. 

“You made quite the impact on Sirius. He wouldn’t stop talking about you all night!” She laughed. Lily jumped ahead of them and slumped her shoulders. 

“I can’t  _ believe  _ my brother’s a Slytherin! ” She badly imitated Sirius’s casually flippant tone.“I’m much better! The  _ nerve  _ of that girl.” She shook her hand angrily at the sky and Regulus couldn’t help from chuckling as Maven and Severus laughed beside him. 

“How did you get the Slytherins to let you sit with them anyway?,” Lily asked as they continued. 

“I made a deal.” Maven shrugged.Lily didn’t push it and Regulus found himself roped into a conversation that was about everything and nothing at all. Talking with them made him forget their pasts and the fact that he had green on his scarf and Lily had red. For a moment they weren’t Hogwarts students or wizards in training, but instead just kids. 

“And  _ then  _ Dorcas-” 

“We need to talk.,” Sirius’s gruff voice cut through Lily’s words, his dark eyes staring daggers into Regulus’s own. Instantly the happy mood evaporated. Severus’s hand darted towards his robe sleeve as Maven’s fingers twitched. Lily glared at him and her hand moved to hover threateningly over her right side. 

Sirius’s own hand darted towards his wand but it was an empty threat. He was outnumbered. 

“Fine.,” Regulus agreed. Maven’s eyes darted between them yet she said nothing as she walked into the Great Hall. Sirius took him roughly by the shoulder and led him into a deserted corridor. 

“You shouldn’t hang out with them.,” Sirius said. “They’re dangerous.” 

“And we’re not?” Sirius sighed. 

“You know that I could care less about our parents wishes but they’re…,” Sirius sighed once more. “Merlin this is hard, they’re  _ different.  _ They’re not right.” 

Regulus glared at him as his chest tightened. He knew that this would come but he hadn’t expected it this soon. “ _ They’re not.  _ How would you know anyway? You don’t know them.” 

“Like you do, Reg? You’ve been here for a day!” 

“I  _ want  _ to know them. Besides, I didn’t see you  _ rushing  _ to greet me!” 

“That’s- Severus knows Dark Magic Reg!,” Sirius cried. “He knew it  _ before he got here! _ ” 

Regulus scoffed. “Like we don’t. What’s the difference between Dark Magic and a hex? Don’t pretend as if you don’t know what Mum’s bookshelves are full of! She’d be more than happy to show you.” 

Sirius glared at him but Regulus was too angry to care. “You know, I thought you were better than this. Than  _ them!  _ But you’re  _ different  _ too.” 

Regulus stalked off and spent the rest of breakfast in a furious silence. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if Maven's a bit Mary Sue-ish here. I want to add Regulus to the story but we have to address the Wizard Racism first. Maven called Regulus a stupid bastard there but please inform me if that translation isn't correct. Happy Holidays once more and as always comments are welcome!


	9. The Slytherin in the Stacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus Snape heads to the library to learn more defensive magic but ends up finding much more than he bargained for.

In the early mornings, the library is the coldest place in Hogwarts. Ms. Pince had stood fast against the idea of anyone so much as considering bringing a fire anywhere near her beloved books. The lack of fireplaces kept students away and Severus shivered in the chill as he stood in front of her desk one weekend morning. 

Ms. Pince seemed immune as she sent a death glare so icy Severus half-believed she was considering the best way to kill him. 

The weight of it bore down onto his neck while he wrote his name down onto her ledger. He was careful not to spill a single drop of ink and knew better than to make eye contact as he headed towards the back tables. 

The sound of his breathing was the only noise he could hear as he walked towards the curses section. He shifted his hands over the strap of his pack as he dodged the books flying over and around him, self-organizing to the best of their ability. 

He knew exactly what to look for once he got there. The books here were more worn from centuries of students turning their pages and barely reacted to the Slytherin hidden in the stacks. Most of the books were joke books but Severus found that the older ones had more promising names. 

Severus wasted no time in gathering a size able stack for himself. He planned to eventually work his way to the Restricted section but these would do for now. Good things came to those who wait. 

Severus opened the first book, brought quill and ink to paper and was lost. The joke books he found had more potent spells than he had expected. He recognized a few of them and his blood boiled at how funny Potter and his gang had found them on him. The rest had more direct information or referred to other books to learn more about them. 

His hand quickly became smudged and gray with ink as he took notes, taking quick breaks to massage his aching wrists and cramping fingers. The hours passed in a study-filled haze as Severus followed trail after magical trail. 

The sun shone brightly through a nearby window when Severus pulled a book about dark creatures off of the shelf. A thin layer of dust covered the title and Severus brushed it off absentmindedly, holding back a sneeze. 

_ The Dark Creatures,  _ the title read. On the cover was an illustration of a glowing moon peeking out through a thicket of leaves. There was no author mentioned and Severus’s search only brought up a thick, steady scratch mark on the back cover. There was no image provided. 

He nearly considered putting it back. He’d had more than enough spells at that point and enough notes to guide his research for when he came back the next day and yet…

Severus walked towards his library seat and gently prodded his books into flying away from him. The book opened on its own, pages flipping towards a glossary. Severus’s head swam at the list and he threw his hand out on a creature at random. 

The book's pages flip accordingly and Severus Snape reads the title. 

_ WEREWOLF.  _ He shivers at the word. Their Defense against the Dark Arts teacher had shied away from this topic with a nervous laugh and flickering eyes. 

The words written on the page glare at Severus as he connects them to the hideous monster illustrated. The drawing is crude, showing a large wolf with overgrown claws and a mouthful of foam-ridden fangs. Behind the wolf is a starry sky with a bright full moon behind them. The wolves' eyes were feral. 

_ Lycanthropes take on a wolf-like form at the time of the full moon,  _ the caption read.  _ It is the main effect of the lycanthrope curse, turning the bearer into a mindless killing machine, often affecting others in this state. If there is a suspected werewolf nearby-  _

Severus’s eyes were glued onto the book but he couldn’t find it in him to finish the paragraph.He knew what the advice would be anyway.  _ Kill it.  _ It was the Wizarding solution to most problems with non-humans. Kill it or find a way how to kill it. He moves his eyes downwards in search of another non-violent option. Instead what he got was further symptoms. 

_ Lycanthropes will often have scars when in human form. If their wolf form has found no living prey during the time of transformation, the wolf will claw and attack itself in an effort to satiate it’s bloodlust. Before the full moon however, many lycanthropes will become physically fatigued as their bodies prepare for the change.  _

His blood runs cold. 

His mind flashes towards the scarred bodies of Maven and Remus. He thought of Maven dodging the questions asked about her scars or distracting him. The way that they seemed to have multiplied over the summer. How she would sometimes come back from her random trips with a limp. 

Severus jumps back from the table as he thinks of how the two would lose energy towards the ending of every month. They would share glances if they passed each other in the halls  _ as if sharing a secret no one else knew.  _

Severus wishes he had more proof to say that it wasn’t true but he chose Slytherin for a reason. He’s smart enough to connect the dots on his own and isn’t the type to ignore information if he doesn’t like it. 

He devours the rest of the article with passion, finding more and more connections with the monster on the page and one of his best mates. The world dims around Severus Snape as he learns that his best friend is a werewolf. 

_ Well damn,  _ he thinks wearily, tipping his chair backwards,  _ what the hell am I supposed to do now?  _ Severus knew that the Wizarding World would be magical but there’s nothing to prepare you for when one of your best friends turns out to be a monster. 

_ Not a monster,  _ Severus edits his thoughts,  _ just cursed.  _ Curses could be lifted, or at the worst, controlled. 

Severus jots down a few quick notes before gathering his things and leaving the library. He had a lot to discuss with his favorite Cursebearer. 

The sun was starting to set as Severus searched the halls for Maven. The halls were full of students enjoying their free day so they didn’t pay much attention to a single Slytherin making his way towards the kitchen. 

Once the boy got there however, the Hufflepuff dormitories were harder to find than he had expected. He circled back around three times before a fifth-year decided to help him, sending him curious looks until he revealed that he was there about a friend. 

“Oh yeah, I know  _ all  _ about those.” Severus considered leaving out of spite. 

But the older student was true to their word. Severus was left suffering under the glare of an eldery witch’s portrait as they went to find Maven. 

“Severus?,” She asked when she stepped outside. Her dark hair was askew and her scars caught the light from the window. Severus looked over at his friend and wondered how to breach the topic.

“We need to talk somewhere.,” He shifted from foot to foot as the portrait started growling at him. “Privately.” 

Maven’s eyes searched his own. “I know a place.” 

Severus followed Maven in silence as she led him towards a deserted corridor, mumbling something underneath her breath. She reached out a hand and a door appeared underneath her fingers. 

The room she led him into was warmly lit with floating candles with two chairs facing across from each other. There was a small tray of biscuits and another food Severus couldn’t name on a table in between them, with more than enough space leftover for his notes. 

Maven sat down on a couch, immediately reaching out a hand to eat one of the foreign treats. Severus put a biscuit in his own mouth as he tried to neatly place his notes on the table. 

“So why did-” 

“I know you’re a werewolf.,” Severus blurted. Maven stiffened immediately. Her back straightened while her hands moved away from the treats and into her own lap. She wrung them nervously as Severus watched her force a smile onto her face. 

“Why do you think that I’m a werewolf?,” She laughed harshly. Maven’s smile was thin and didn’t reach her eyes while she reached for another foreign treat with exaggerated slowness. 

“You’re not denying it. The symptoms add up!” Severus rifled through his notes, unaware of how Maven’s smile had slipped and the treat had dropped from her hand. 

“You took notes?” Her voice was heavier than Severus had ever heard it. Severus looked up and watched Maven wring her hands in her lap with shaking fingers. She wasn’t looking at him. 

“Well, yes, but-” 

“Please don’t tell anyone!,” Maven’s back shook with barely-restrained sobs as her hands stopped wringing. “I don’t know what you want to stay quiet, but we could work out something.” Tears fell down Maven’s cheeks when she looked up, her brown eyes weary and defeated, full of pain. 

“I don’t want anything.,” Severus admitted. “I-I just needed to know if it was true.” 

“And you’re not scared?,” Maven was suspicious now. “You’re not afraid of me?” 

“Why would I be?,” Severus asked as he moved so that they were sitting next to each other. “You’re not a monster.” 

Maven’s eyes darted over to him and the twelve-year-old looked impossibly sad in that moment. Her shoulders sagged under the weight of her burden while Severus noticed just how many scars she had. His heart broke at the pain she must have gone through getting them and he vowed to find a way to help her. 

Curses could be lifted, or at the very worst, managed. 

Severus Snape had never been good with words. In that moment he followed his instincts and laid his head on her shoulder. Maven stiffened at the contact as Severus ignored how weird it felt for him too. 

“You’re not a monster,” he told one of his best friends. “You’re cursed.” 

Maven laughed sadly, reaching out a hand to wipe some of her tears away. “There’s a difference?” 

Severus made a noise of agreement. “Curses can be broken.” 

The words filled the small room, a promise that both of them knew they couldn’t make but dared to dream about. The fireplace crackled as the candles danced around them. 

“You can’t tell anyone about this Sev.,” Maven told him. “This has to stay between us.” 

“I won’t,” Severus told her. “But I’ll need your help in finding an antidote.” 

“There isn’t one!” 

“Not yet.” He pulled away so that they were eye to eye. “But I’ll find it or make one myself.” 

Maven smirked as she wiped the last of the tears off of her face. “I’ll hold you to it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's fitting that Severus finds out first because the boy was a Goth Nerd, of course he would know one of his best friends is a Dark Creature. Later that night he's going to think it fits into his Aesthetic while Maven thinks about if she was too Obvious. She asks Remus this and he spends a good five minutes laughing about it.


	10. Research and Restrictions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus and Maven discuss their results after hours of uneventful research while once again trouble finds them.

“You can’t intimidate your way to a cure, Severus.,” Maven joked from her spot across their sea of notes, drawing Severus’s attention away from the book in his hand. Unconsciously his face had twisted into his usual scowl as his tired eyes scanned the pages for the information he needed. 

The library around them was filled with the sounds of quills flying across papers and tapping against inkpots. Books flew gently around them while Ms. Pince roamed the tables closest to her in search of some misdemeanor that would give her enough cause to evict that student. 

The second-years had been forced to sit down  _ just  _ outside her realm of reach which was more worry than comfort as it meant they constantly had to check over their shoulder for Ms. Pince or another student. But it created enough noise that they went unnoticed amidst the chaos around them.

“I wasn’t!,” He retorted, letting the book fly out of his hands. Maven nodded smugly and his ears flushed. “I was just-” 

“Looking for more information?,” She offered, finishing the sentence for him. “You don’t think you already have enough?” 

She gestured towards the roll of parchment in front of them, their crowning results after hours of researching in the library. There was very little actual parchment left as it had been so thickly covered in notes. Most of it was about lycanthropy but their notes had branched out when it became apparent Hogwarts had little information about this subject. 

Severus noted Maven had made another move and quickly ended their game of Tic-Tac-Toe. Another tie. 

“Never.,” He responded, cleaning the ink and setting the board for another game. Maven created her first  _ O.  _ “There’s still so much we have to learn.” 

“Like what?” 

“We know about the...symptoms.,” He lowered his voice, adding his responding  _ X _ . “But we still have yet to narrow down the  _ cause. _ ” 

“We know the cause.,” Maven’s shoulders tensed as she wrote another  _ O.  _

“We don’t know the  _ specifics. _ What makes...your type,” He rolled his eyes at Maven’s laugh. “different from other wizards? How does the curse work? Is it held in the blood or does it change DNA? There’s not enough blasted evidence to tell.” 

Maven looked amused as she shrugged. “No one wants to study Dark things, Sev.” She thought for a moment before amending. “Dark  _ Creatures  _ at least.  _ Especially  _ werewolves. Here we’re written off as murderers in waiting and lost causes. If we’re lucky we’ll manage to live full lives before an Auror or something else gets us.” 

Severus shivered at the thought of the ‘something else’ Maven was talking about. During their research they had read plenty about Fenrir Greybeck. He was a nasty-looking werewolf who focused his attacks on children. But Fenrir’s infamy had led to an increase in Hunters, a branch of the Ministry solely dedicated to slaying Dark Creatures. Werewolves fell outside of their jurisdiction but Severus knew that no one would look twice at a Hunter slaying a werewolf in “self-defense.” Severus burned at the injustice of it all. 

“Would you do that?,” He asked. “Join a pack?” 

“I’m not an  _ animal,  _ Sev.” She chastised. “I’m perfectly capable of making friends. It’s probably a matter of safety. Pack members must not have any other options. ” 

Severus nodded. He knew all about being backed into corners. Most literature they had found about werewolves was recent edicts limiting their rights. They had an increasingly limited job pool and an even smaller amount of rights. And that was on those who decided to  _ try  _ and live in the Wizarding World. 

“Was it different where you came from. In Uganda?” 

Maven chewed on her quill. “Certainly. It was definitely hotter. But it was easier to fit in. There werewolves are seen as another type of animagi. As long as we didn’t harm anything we were allowed to stay.” 

“Do you harm anything now?” Maven looked offended. “Sorry, not animals.” 

“I want to sometimes.,” Maven admitted. “Everything’s weird when I change. I’m not  _ me,  _ I’m this other thing. I don’t remember what I did or where I’ve been.” Severus looked over her myriad of scars once more. “It’s why I-” 

Maven closed her lips suddenly at Severus’s hopeful expression. Despite all their headway Maven still refused to tell him where she went on full moons. She thought he would be ‘irresponsible’ with that knowledge. Well she would be in for a surprise when Severus deduced it for himself. 

Maven frowned at him. “Stop scheming.” 

“So have you found anything interesting?,” He dodged. 

“A bit. Did you know that we have a Latin textbook?,” She offered. Maven held up a weather-worn book that had the word ‘LATIN’ posted in bold on it in faded letters. 

“Where did you get this?” 

“It was near the restricted section.” Maven began flipping pages as Severus moved closer to her. She placed the book between them, allowing Severus to see how many of the words were their own spells. 

“Do you think we can use this to create spells?,” Maven asked, her eyes wide with awe. 

“I don’t see why not.” Severus knew his excitement rivaled Maven’s own. Already his mind was full of the possibilities. He would like to watch Potter and his gang react to spells  _ they had never seen before.  _ It would give him a leg up with the other Slytherins and create an equal playing field for all of them. 

Maven and Severus eagerly devoured the pages before Severus took the book to study with for later. 

“This’ll help.,” He announced proudly. 

“Help with  _ what  _ young man?,” A voice stated above them, forcing Maven and Severus to look up into the eyes of Ms.Pince. 

The librarian was practically  _ shaking  _ with fury as she looked at their messy desk. Her eyes moved immediately towards their parchment. Maven and Severus moved to cover the writing but it was too late. 

“ _ Lycanthropy?,”  _ She whispered with a voice full of fear and anger. Severus flinched as she brought her hands up to cross them in front of her. 

“Come with me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I was in a creative block for the past week(which is why this chapter is a bit shorter) . I've decided to change my schedule a bit and post a chapter every two weeks.


	11. Horace Slughorn (but said menacingly)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ms. Pince fumes as she pulls Maven and Severus into Slughorn's office. This proves to be a mistake on her part as Severus can only tolerate his head of house

“Merlin why did I choose this job?!,” Ms. Pince cried as she dragged Maven and Severus along the hallways. Her gray eyes flashed as hard as steel while her mouth pulled down into a grimace. “I could’ve worked for the Ministry! Mother always did say I had an eye for it you know, but  _ no  _ I had to think of the  _ children.”  _

She was talking to herself more than she was to them yet her grip on them was tight enough to bruise. The librarian’s angry manner, fast pace and hapless victims drew dozens of eyes as she bulldozed her way down the hallway. 

“Irma-,” McGonagall began. 

“I don’t want to hear it, Minerva.  _ Not  _ today.” Ms. Pince didn’t even stop. 

“Fine way to spend a Saturday.,” Severus muttered. 

“Can’t think of a better one.,” Maven agreed, throwing a hasty smile towards a group of Ravenclaws. 

“...Ungrateful little brats, I swear I’m leaving this year, Albus be  _ damned... _ ” Ms Pince moved with the smart steps of someone who knew where she was going. Which was a problem as Severus and Maven absolutely did  _ not.  _

“Come along now.,” Ms. Pince would command and lift them slightly when they tried to drag their feet. They had to choose between keeping up or being dragged along. There was no question. 

Finch’s sadistic promises of punishments gone by flashed through Severus’s head as they walked. Ms. Pince had remained an anomaly to him but now he was going to find out what she could do when pushed. 

Warm corridors gave way to damp dungeons and lit torches. Their footsteps rang out against the cobblestone as Ms. Pince kept up her muttering all the while. Torches flared as she slammed on the door to Slughorn’s office. 

“Horace! Open up!,” She commanded. 

Ms. Pince didn’t wait for a response before opening the door and shoving Maven and Severus inside. 

“Professor Slughorn will deal with you two.,” She smiled menacingly and stalked off, letting the door slam shut behind her. 

Maven and Severus glanced at each other and then moved their eyes towards Professor Slughorn. 

The Professor looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Literally. His eyes were wide as he focused them on his students while one of his hands was stuffed into a jar of those sugared pineapples he loved so much. 

“Mr. Snape? Ms. Ashe?” 

“Professor Slughorn, we can explain.” Severus frowned as Maven launched into a hasty explanation. He leaned against the desk in order to study the office around him. 

Slughorn’s office was cluttered with relics and “gifts” from students long passed. Newspaper clippings hung on the wall of particularly incredible or gifted students smiling and waving with select few with quotes next to them. Upon closer inspection Severus saw that the quotes were actually them talking about Slughorn. 

Narcissist.

“Of  _ course., _ ” Slughorn crooned at Maven. Severus wrinkled his nose. 

On the best of days he could  _ tolerate  _ his head of House. It wasn’t hard to see why he had been in Slytherin. Within the first month of last year he had already created his “Slug Club”, the group of students he would raise to greatness before swooping in to reap the rewards. 

All of them were purebloods.

Severus Snape was not in this club.. 

He wasn’t  _ jealous  _ or bitter about it despite what Maven and Lily thought but rather angry. He could care less about whether or not some old has-been deemed him worthy of manipulation. More incentive to prove him wrong and all that. 

He was angrier at Slughorn himself. While the man had never said anything outright he had a way of making these little comments about  _ why  _ Severus and Lily weren’t in the club. 

“Amazing work!,” Slughorn would comment, beaming over a bubbling potion. “Imagine what you could’ve done if you had come from  _ our  _ society.” 

Lily would smile brightly and accept the compliment but Severus couldn’t bring himself to. When others attacked him for his blood status at least  _ they  _ had been upfront about it. They could be stopped with a quick hex or one of his vicious insults. 

Slughorn hid his thoughts behind an unassuming smile that never reached his eyes. His words were like daggers to Severus. A warning that even in a world of magic Severus was lesser. No matter what he said or did people would see him as a poor half-blood.

He’d asked Lily how she felt about it once. How their families would always define them. 

Lily had gone quiet at that. Her natural energy dimmed as her smile slipped off of her face. 

“I don’t want to be a pureblood Sev.,” She admitted. “I’m proud of my Mum, Da, and Tuney. I’m proud of you too. No matter what they say.” 

Severus felt ashamed in that moment. He wasn’t proud of his house in Spinner’s End and when he thought about home he thought about his mother’s hidden magic and the summer he had spent at the Evans’s. He refused to think about his father. 

Now he felt a familiar black mood coming on as he watched Slughorn and Maven talk. At first it seemed like a conversation but Slughorn’s responses were always too bright and too loud. Slughorn would respond slowly as if he was worried Maven wouldn’t be able to hear him. 

It was as if he was talking to a baby. 

Maven kept her hands clasped tightly behind her back and she made a point of staring Slughorn in the eyes as she spoke. Her usual smile was gone and the childish way Slughorn saw her made it easy for her to turn studies of lycanthropy into a volume complaint. 

“Well,” Slughorn shifted in his chair once Maven had finished. “I suppose a fitting punishment would be 2 days of detention for both of you.” 

“2 days?!” 

Slughorn nodded sagely. “I understand completely why you did it. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about wanting catching up with your peers. You, Ms. Ashe, need it more than any other. Your potions are abysmal and I can’t understand you with that accent of yours.” 

_ Maybe you just don’t bother to listen,  _ Severus stared daggers at him. 

Maven focused on the chalkboard behind Slughorn. Severus watched as a piece of chalk crumbled behind the man. 

“Of course you, Mr. Snape, need study as well. Our society is a complicated one and it’s not going to be easy to get on the same level with your more  _ natural  _ peers.” 

_ Natural?,  _ Severus fumed. He and Lily have the best potions grade out of anyone else the class,  _ including  _ said natural peers. 

_ I’ll show you natural,  _ he fumed. His blood ran hot as his ears turned beet red. Another piece of chalk crumbled behind Slughorn, before falling to the floor in a cloud of dust. 

“But we can’t get too lax on the rules now.,” Slughorn winked as if he didn’t notice the fury on Maven and Severus’s faces. “2 days, one for each of you.” 

Slughorn turned around to grab an inkpot. “Oh, would you look at that.” 

Slughorn sent them out with a command to come back the next day to clean the cauldrons. They stomped out rather than walked. 

“He can stick that ‘natural’ bullshit up his arse. I’ll show him what’s  _ natural. _ ” 

“That ‘Slug Club’ of his sure isn’t natural. No other teacher has one. You don’t see Madam Pomfrey with a group of “Pom-Poms.” 

“Hey!,” Regulus cried running towards them. His eyes were bright and his hair was mussed. “Are you guys coming?” 

“To what?,” Severus asked, ransacking his mind to see if he had agreed to do anything with Regulus. 

“The Quidditch game next week?” Regulus’s eyes dashed between the two of them. 

“No.” 

“Not really.” 

Regulus blinked and let out an awkward laugh. When Severus and Maven continued staring at him his face dropped. 

“ _You're serious_ _? _ ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am on Winter Break which means that productivity went down. Happy Holidays to all of my readers and I hope that you are staying as safe as possible!


	12. Pitfalls and Pitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus tries to get Lily to help him convince the rest of them to come to the Quidditch match. Lily is reminded of unpleasant memories of a sunny spring day.

“Lily! _Please_ talk some sense into our _clearly_ insane friends!,” Regulus cries as he, Maven and Severus come closer to her spot on the wall. The warm torchlight illuminates his arms as he throws them up in helplessness. 

Lily doesn’t glance up as she dips her quill once more into the inkpot beside her. 

“What do you mean insane?,” She asks politely as she feels Regulus’s glare land on her. She glances up to see Severus and Maven making insane faces behind his back and pointing towards Regulus. 

Lily’s lip twitches but she covers her mouth so that Regulus can’t see her grin. 

“Sev and Maven here have been talking about _not going to the Quidditch game!_ ” Regulus plops down beside her and rests his head against the cool stone corridor. 

“There’s no point.,” Maven argues, sitting down beside him. 

“I don’t see what all the hubbub is about.,” Sev defends as he takes a seat on the other side of Lily. “It’s just a game after all.” 

“It’s the best one in the Wizarding World!” 

“It’s the _only_ one in the Wizarding World. We can ride broomsticks and all we’ve done with it is use them to chase balls around.” 

Maven snickers lightly.

Regulus groans. “You can see my problem here.” 

“I don’t think that there really is one.,” Lily retorts as she puts her things back into her school bag. “I agree with Sev. It’s just a game. If you’ve seen it once then you’ve seen it a hundred times.” 

Quidditch _had_ been exhilarating to her. At first. 

Finding seats at a Quidditch match is easier to do when your group doesn’t consist of students from three different Houses. The entire school showed up for them and Lily had won the match of chess they had played for it. 

Back then Lily had thought the House rivalries were just silly feuds that Hogwarts was _way_ too into. 

They didn’t really _mean_ anything. They were just a pastime. But Lily wouldn’t have minded seeing Slytherin trampled. Bragging rights were important. 

The seats were divided by House with Slytherin at one end and Gryffindor at the other. Hufflepuff was in the middle, forcing their group to form a small trifecta near the top. 

Lily sat on one end, Severus next to her, and Maven next to Severus. You could cut the tension with a knife as students whispered about who would win and placed bets that the Professors pretended not to notice. 

The air had smelled like sweat, sugar and mud but all Lily could focus on was the sky. It was a beautiful spring day with clear blue skies and a piercing sun. The world was wet from the rains before, the air was humid and she was at her very first Quidditch match. 

The moment the brooms entered the air Lily was hooked. It was impossible not to be.

The players moved with such speed that Lily felt her head spin trying to keep up with them all. The air around them was full of shouting and energy as the stadium transformed from another building into a whirlwind of sound and movement. 

The announcer’s voice thrilled her as Lily became part of the stadium. For a moment there weren’t Houses or Muggleborns or Purebloods. There were just Hogwarts students and the game. 

Then someone scored a goal. 

There were cheers from one side of the stadium and groans from the other. A couple of looks had been thrown their way but Lily kept her eyes focused on the skies. 

Lily didn’t know how long they were there for but it seemed like only moments had passed before someone with a red tie was holding up the Golden Snitch. 

Immediately Lily was almost deafened by the roar of noise around her. Cheering from the Gryffindors, dark muttering from the Slytherins, polite laughter and pained groans as money changed hands. Severus was grumbling good-naturedly beside her while Maven rolled her eyes but both of them had warm smiles plastered on their faces. 

“We should come to another one.,” Maven offered as they left the stadium. The Gryffindor players had exited amidst a flurry of cheers and Lily couldn’t wait for the resounding celebrations in the Common Room. 

“Do they have Quidditch in Uganda?,” Severus asks, dodging another student. 

“They do! My Baba took me to a game once but I was too young to remember it. I’ll have to tell him about this one.” 

“So does that mean you can help explain the rules?,” Lily asks. She had learned the basics in preparation but they were already a jumble in her head. “There’s still some things that I’m confused on-” 

“ _I_ can help you there Lily!,” A smarmy voice calls out of the crowd. Lily groans as Maven rolls her eyes. Severus’s hand is in his sleeve immediately. He hunches over but his eyes are quick and bright as he surveys his surroundings. 

He doesn’t have to look far because in moments James Potter is striding out of the crowd. His dark hair is mussed as usual while his eyes are focused on Lily. Sirius and Remus follow behind him with smirks on their faces. Sirius’s hair is mussed as well, with his face alight from the game. But his eyes are icy as he stares daggers at all of them. 

Remus looks happier than Lily’s ever seen him. He’s trembling with excitement, his pale face flush. He gives a nervous smile towards them. 

Maven jerks her head in response. Lily doesn’t comment as James strides closer to them. 

“Good thing I wasn’t asking you James.,” Lily replies. 

“Don’t be that way Evans! _You_ need help and _I_ can give it.” He slings his arm around her shoulder and stumbles when Lily immediately pushes it off. “Probably better than she can too.” 

“And what makes you say that?,” Maven tilts her head. James glares at her. 

“Simple. You’re looking at the soon-to-be Seeker of the Gryffindor team!” 

“As well as their new Chasers!” Sirius mimed hitting something with a bat before throwing his arm over Remus’s shoulder. He ruffles Remus’s hair and another rare smile appears on the scarred boy’s lips. 

“Do they even let first-years onto the team?,” Sev asks. 

“If they don’t, that’s going to change soon.” 

“Remind me to never come back here when it does.” 

“I won’t need to. You’ll already know.” 

“Oh good!,” Lily turned to Maven. “Never mind on that Quidditch thing then. If _this_ is the future then I want no part of it.” 

“Evans-” 

“Leave her be, Potter. She _clearly_ isn’t supportive of the team.” Sirius’s eyes caught on Lily and Severus, his words cold and his meaning clear. 

“I’ll show you support-” 

McGonagall had interrupted before things became too serious but the damage had been done. Lily had promised herself to not go to another Quidditch match if there was even a _whiff_ that James Potter would be there. 

She had never felt more satisfied than when James and his friends had sulked into the Great Hall after tryouts that first year. Lily knew it was wrong but she couldn’t help but smile at seeing James getting the winds knocked out of his sails for once. 

This year she hadn’t been so lucky. He had been practically _insufferable_ at lunch as he bragged about his new position on the team. He hadn’t made Seeker but from the way he talked about Chaser it was as if he hardly cared at all. 

Lily felt ice run down her back at the thought of seeing Potter in an actual _game._

Lily shrugged now. “It’s a Gryffindor-Slytherin match.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow. 

“They don’t exactly _like_ it when we show up.” 

“Why do you care?” Regulus raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t before. 

“James Potter wasn’t on the team before.” 

Regulus went silent. “So we ignore him. It’s going to be a packed stadium Lily, there’s not much he can do with all of those eyes on him.” 

“He can do a _lot_ actually.,” Severus whispered. Maven frowned. 

“This means that much to you?,” Lily asked. Regulus had rarely been so obstinate about anything but it was clear from the way his face lit up at the very mention of it he _loved_ Quidditch. 

“It does. I want to spend one Quidditch match with friends.” He gave a small laugh. “It’s my first year yunno.” 

No one could argue with that and Regulus knew it. A smug smirk crossed his face as Severus groaned. 

“You’re too smart for your own good.,” Severus accused. 

“He has to be,” Maven laughed, jumping up. “He’s a Slytherin, isn’t he?” 

Lily blinked as she was suddenly reminded of something. “So what was that with Ms. Pince?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...2021?!! Happy New Year (I guess) ! I hope everyone is staying safe and indoors if they can be. The months have seemed to fly by so quickly with this fic, I can't believe I posted it in August. As always comments are appreciated.


	13. Quidditch and the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus watches the Quidditch game with interest, even when James Potter is gravely injured. On another note, Maven finds a map in the library.

“Remind me to kill you, Regulus.,” Severus muttered as he shifted on the Quidditch stands. The sun was high and hot overhead, wreaking havoc on Severus’s already pale perplexion. Lily sweated next to him as Regulus explained the history of the stadium to Maven. 

“Later Sev.,” Lily said as she squinted into the blue sky. The teams hadn’t come out of their rooms yet but it was only a matter of time before James Potter and his friends came blustering out. 

The crackle of the sound system started up as the announcer cleared their throat. The nervous whispering died out as all eyes went to the sky and the whole of Hogwarts took a single collective breath. 

“Remember Mr. Abernant-” 

“ _ I know,  _ Professor-” 

“-of course but-” 

They rang out across the grounds loudly as the stadium buzzed with energy. Regulus stopped his tour to pull out a fancy pair of gold binoculars. He muttered something to Maven, who rolled her eyes. She shot Severus a grin when she caught him looking and turned her attention back towards the field. 

The moment before they came out stretched into an eternity as Hogwarts waited for its champions. Severus wondered if it would be like this when he made his magical breakthrough. Would everyone place their hopes on him? He didn’t know but he privately hoped it would be. He hated himself for that thought. 

Then the Quidditch players came out. 

The Slytherin players looked sleek in their green uniforms as they flew out. They barely spared a glance at the stadium around them as they moved into position. The only word that brought to mind was military. 

Regulus nodded approvingly. “Really whipped them into shape.” 

The Gryffindor players cascaded down from their platform like a waterfall and already Severus could feel a headache building. They were the complete opposite of the Slytherin team, all smiles and jokes. 

His head pounded as Sirius and James came near. Sirius regarded them cooly before turning his mouth down at the sight of Regulus. Maven glared at him. 

“Never expected to see you at another game, Evans.,” James called to them, idling on his broom. “And with your friends.” 

“Who else would I go with?” 

“Other Gryffindors.” 

Lily sighed but didn’t respond. 

“C’mon mate, the  _ match?, _ ” Sirius reminded. 

“Right, right. Well Evans, I hope I can show you what a  _ true  _ sportsman looks like.” 

“Oh are there any around?” Lily looked around. Severus snickered and Sirius barked out a laugh as he led James towards the rest of the players. 

There was a tense beat of silence before the balls were let loose. They whizzed and flapped around the stadium as the teams dove upon them like sharks in the water. 

Regulus had prepped them on the basics of Quidditch so Severus could now follow the basics of what was going on. 

“And the teams are off! Slytherin Chasers Manford,Mormont, and Montesgue, cousins, have beaten the Quaffle to the Gryffindor side and oh look at that-” 

Severus watched as Sirius and James moved in tandem to bat the ball back towards their Slytherin opponents. It came speeding towards them with a vengeance, forcing them to move out of the way. Unfortunately this gave the ball a straight shot for the Slytherin hoops as it also forced the Keeper to move out of the way and the first points of the match went towards Gryffindor. 

Lily smirked. 

“Beginner’s luck.,” Severus muttered. 

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you Sev.” 

“After that  _ great  _ defense by Potter and Black, I know a few people won’t be happy about that, and-” 

A Bludger flew by, headed in the direction of the duo in question. But Potter and Black were a good match on this too as they dodged with ease. Sirius flew back while Potter… 

Potter performed a loop de loop. Out of it Severus would  _ swear  _ he saw a wink aimed their way. 

Regulus looked mortified. The announcer was silent but quickly recovered.

“An...unexpected move from Potter but the game is still on!”

The Slytherin Captain growled and began barking out a quick succession of orders. Their moves were formal but they started taking sharper turns and cutting off Gryffindor players in time to the shouts of the Captain. 

“That’s Linus for you,” Regulus whispered. “I once watched them train. His Mum and Da are both Aurors. Apparently his father’s got tons of Muggle military books and training techniques.” 

“I’d hate to see them then.,” Maven remarked. 

Severus nodded. Linus may have whipped the Slytherins into a well-oiled machine but the Gryffindors had the heart and energy to match them. They gave as good as they got with each stretch of the game.

James still flourished on the field, performing more minor tricks as he played. He stretched out farther and performed twists and turns that enamored the crowd and infuriated Regulus. 

“ _ This is a serious game!, _ ” He cried out. “He’s treating it like some kind of performance!” 

“It technically  _ is  _ for him.,” Lily chided. “It’s his first year playing, he’ll grow.” 

Severus blinked in surprise at her sentiment. 

“He needs to grow now.,” Maven said. Her face was unreadable as she considered the game. “Reg has a point. Quidditch leaves no room for show-offs.” 

The next time he performed a loop James was smashed in the middle of two Bludgers. 

The arena went dead silent as the crunches of broken bones rang out. James groaned weakly as he fell out of the sky and his broom continued flying without him. 

A flew Slytherin team members smirked at the sight but Linus didn’t give them a chance to gloat. More orders were barked and the team moved around without even pausing as they put the balls between the hoops and their Seeker searched the field for the Snitch. Severus didn’t know how many points they “scored”. 

“PAUSE!!!,” Someone yelled. The cry snapped the Gryffindor team out of their stupor. As one they fell to help their fallen teammate and fight off the attacking balls. Linus yelled out another order and the game was forgotten. 

James was soon so swarmed no one could see what was happening. Teachers filed past them in a hurry as they followed Dumbledore’s orders. 

“Do you think it's bad?” Lily wrung her hands. 

“I hope so.,” Severus said darkly. Lily shot a look at him. 

“That’s not funny Sev.” 

“It wasn’t meant to be.” 

“He could be seriously injured!” 

“We can only hope.,” Severus groaned. 

“I can’t believe you! I know you don’t get along but he could  _ die  _ Severus!” James was being carried away now on a stretcher to the worried looks of the Gryffindor team and the furious whispers of the Slytherins. 

“He won’t.” Maven and Regulus said at the same time. 

“Madam Pomfrey’s a very good healer. Wizard healing is different from Muggle healing.,” Maven explained. 

“This happens all the time,” Regulus replied with a shrug. “Dunno why you two are making such a big deal out of it.” 

“ _ See _ ?” 

“That’s not the  _ point  _ Sev and you know it! Even  _ if  _ he does heal-” 

“He will.” 

“-That’s still a serious injury! James may be an arse but at the very least you can  _ care  _ about his life!” 

Severus glowered at her but didn’t respond. He wouldn’t give James Potter his sympathy. He didn’t deserve it, life-threatening injury or not. 

Lily looked over her best friend and tried to reconcile this emotionless creature to the boy who had told her about Hogwarts and given Lily her first glimpses of magic.

Lily didn't say a word as she moved to sit with her House after James had been escorted from the stadium. Severus glared into the stands as the game resumed. 

It ended with a Slytherin victory. It was practically guaranteed against the disoriented Gryffindor team. 

No one said a word as they left the stadium. Maven didn’t make a sound as she diverged from her Slytherin friends and went towards the library. 

The library was devoid of students, giving the books free roam to fly and do whatever they wished in the air. Ms. Pince seemed to merely tolerate this and barely spared Maven a withering glare as she moved her wand towards the rowdier literature. 

Her father’s black hand me downs had been charmed to never make a sound, something he had whispered conspiratorially to her when he put them in her hands. It was his gift to her in lieu of a familiar. 

Privately Maven thought they were better than that. It was a gift for  _ her,  _ something that the rest of the school didn’t have. She wouldn’t be ashamed of her heritage and would never forget that she was the outlier here. One of 2 werewolves admitted this year. 

Hogwarts certainly hadn’t let her forget this. 

She put the boots to use as she snuck towards the Restricted section. 

It shone like a beacon to her in the afternoon light. The air shimmered with the weight of the magic on or in the tombs.These books were less carefree than their counterparts but still mustered the energy to growl, shake and move at Maven’s presence. 

She smiled at them. 

The Restricted section was the dream of every student at Hogwarts. It was the result of  _ centuries  _ of created and gained magic. Any spell a wizard could dream of and potions that guaranteed that and more. 

They had talked about what they would do if they were left alone in there. 

Severus, of course, wanted to read the knowledge of the Founders and use it to make potions beyond his wildest dreams. Regulus knew that a few of his family’s journals were inside and longed to know what the House of Black had been like. 

Lily was more interested in the untold stories the Restricted section held. She wanted to see which Muggle legends were true or had been exaggerated with time. 

Maven wanted to look for a map. 

The Wizarding World was  _ much  _ wider than Hogwarts made it out to be and Maven needed to see all of it. She wanted to explore it and create her own legends and histories. 

Most of all she wanted to find the missing magical artifacts. Legendary weapons, created by magic and forged in wars had been lost to time. They were practically crying out for someone to find them and Maven wouldn’t ignore their call. 

Something slammed into the barrier. 

Maven jumped back in time with a particularly ferocious book. It had been centimeters away from breaking her nose. For the first time in her life Maven was thankful for the protections on the Restricted section. 

It wouldn’t be the last time. 

The book considered its options for a moment before rushing in for another attack. The air vibrated as the other books shook on their bookshelves. 

“Be quiet!  _ Shhh!  _ Stop!,” Maven furiously whispered as she looked around for Ms. Pince. The book was making such a racket that she wouldn’t have been able to hear her footsteps. 

“I’m not supposed to be back here! Stop, you’re going to get us caught!,” Maven warned. The book paused in midair to consider her command. Maven sighed in relief as she made another furious check for Ms. Pince.

If she focused she could hear faintly approaching footsteps. The book made another dive for the barrier. It pushed against it with all its might to Maven’s horror and curiosity. 

The air seemed to stretch as the book pushed its limits before letting it pass with a loud  _ snap!  _

The footsteps got louder. Maven didn’t think as she grabbed the book out of the air and ducked breathlessly into a nearby aisle. She ran quietly from Ms.Pince and towards the library table closest to the door. 

Her heart was pounding in her ears as she took a seat. Her breath came out in short gasps while she strained her ears for the sounds of Ms. Pince once more. 

Nothing came. She was in the clear. 

Maven examined the strange book in her hands. It was older than Maven thought, with a cracked spine and a layer of dust still on it. It positively reeked with age and there were no words to describe what was inside. 

“The Gentleman’s Guide to Fencing?” Maven muttered, reading the first page. Beneath it there was a moving illustration of a fencer dressed in centuries old clothing. 

The fencer did a series of bold movements with the sword in its hands. Maven watched it closely and immediately began skimming through the pages. 

The book was  _ full  _ of everything Maven had been searching for. Fencing positions with illustrated guides and the rules of dueling. 

The authors name wasn’t attached but the book served as both a guide and their journal. They spoke of fighting Krakens on a sailing boat and bargaining with Gorgons deep in their mysterious caves. 

Maven’s fingers twitched on the cover. Her mind began analyzing her schedule as she tried to see when she could sneak away to the Room of Requirement to practice. It wouldn’t be much during the week but provided she got her assignments done quickly, Maven’s weekends were golden. The Room of Requirement would probably have training weapons.

She turned to the next page and a piece of paper fell out of the book. Maven checked it quickly in case it was another page but it was thicker than the rest of the journal. 

Her heart sped up as she opened the page. The book was so full of everything she was looking for that her mind raced with the options. A long-lost Gorgon treasure, a long-lost riddled or a map of mermaid nests? Maven didn’t know which one she would like more. 

Beside her the book began furiously flipping through its pages as if it was sensing her excitement.

Maven opened the paper and... it was blank. 

She turned it over in her hands and held it up to the light but nothing appeared. 

Maven’s hopes were dashed but when she turned towards the book it was still flipping pages.

“You can stop now. It didn’t have anything.” Maven told it futilely. The book found what it was looking for and flew into her face. 

_ The world has never been a safe place for our kind.,  _ The Author wrote.  _ Despite my many travels, this has been a constant. No matter where I go danger lurks everywhere. In monsters and beats yes, but also, sadly, in my fellow man.  _

_ I’ve made many friends but even more enemies, which has led me to take desperate measures. I’ve few means and fewer riches at the time that I’m writing this.  _

_ But I have something that they want,  _ _ desperately.  _ _ ,  _ Maven leaned into the book, her eyes drinking in the words with abandon. 

_ Ever since I set out I have been working on a map. It holds the locations of every place I’ve been to and every friend I have. It’s too precious to leave lying around, so I’ve enchanted it to appear like another piece of paper.  _

_ Reader, if you find this, know that the map can only be read by those willing to take the risks life gives them.  _

Maven read the sentence once more in the hopes that it would make more sense to her but it remained a mystery. She groaned and wished she could pull the author out from the journal and ask them what it meant directly. 

The book shut in her hands as she contemplated the map. It was still lying out openly on the table with nothing on it. 

“Take the risks life gives you…” Maven knew all about those. It felt like the past two years had been nothing but risks for her. Maven had to watch as the country she loved so much fell onto the brink of civil war. The magical and Muggle worlds worked independently of each other but war always affected both of them. 

When Maven went to sleep she still heard the sound of boots. She could see smoke in the distance and feel terrified as her mother covered her eyes with her hand. When Maven woke up she would smell ash. 

Maven blinked the memories and unbidden tears away and focused once more on the map. 

“I’m willing.,” She told it. “I want to take the risks life gives me.” 

A splotch of ink appeared on the page before a single question:  _ Do you accept the consequences?  _

Maven laughed bitterly. “Always.” 

The letters disappeared but the ink didn’t. It grew and expanded, forming lines on the paper as before Maven’s eyes a map appeared. It contained simpler sketches of the illustrations in the book underneath labels. 

Maven’s eyes widened. The map confirmed her suspicions about being hopelessly outdated. It was a map of Britain and Ireland. Britain was labeled Brittania while Ireland was still known as Hibernia. Monster spots were scattered around everywhere in higher quantities than Maven knew them now. 

Names were scattered all over the map with small notes underneath them. 

_ Godiva: The Helm of Achilles  _

_ Dunstan: Everstone  _

_ Rowena: The Trickster’s Eye (Hogwarts)  _

Maven had never wanted to know someone so badly. The tales her mother had told rattled around in her mind as she recognized name after name. This was everything she had dreamed of but Maven knew that it couldn’t be hers. 

It was priceless but she couldn’t use it. It wouldn’t be fair to hide this away from the rest of the world and it belonged in a museum, not stuffed inside her school bag. 

The book seemed to agree with her as it flew into her bag. Maven gingerly picked up the map and headed towards Ms. Pince. 

The librarian was dumbstruck when Maven presented her with the map. She couldn’t hide her joy at seeing it and barely spared Maven a second glance as she snuck out. 

Maven didn’t look at anyone as she headed towards the Room of Requirement. She focused on a place for fencing, where she could learn how to protect herself  _ without  _ her wand. 

Maven opened the door and stepped into her own private heaven. 

The room had changed and expanded into what Maven imagined a warrior’s hut in the tales her  _ Bibi Saa  _ told her. The walls were warm, earthen, clay and Maven could smell matoke and cassava. 

But her eyes were drawn towards the weapons hung on the walls. Swords, shields, axes and even battle maces surrounded Maven. She wanted to try out each of them but the book recommended using a wooden practice sword first. 

Maven grabbed one and got into the first stance. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! I had a lot of ideas for this chapter but they were slow coming. I'm excited for our new president and have finally added the OC-Centric in OC-Centric fic. I've also changed my writing schedule so I hope to be better with the schedule but you never know.


	14. Maven's Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maven's second year at Hogwarts passes in a haze of fencing lessons and time spent with her friends.

Despite Slytherin’s crushing win, James Potter, and by extension the Gryffindor team came out of the first match the heroes of the school. Everyone loved a tragedy and a near-fatal one was even better. It didn’t hurt that even with Madam Pomfrey’s healing skills he was still in the hospital wing for a week. 

Before Maven’s eyes James Potter was turned from a semi-popular second year to the school martyr. Everyone suddenly had a kind story to tell about him or a funny memory they had with him. His bedside table overflowed with gifts from well-wishers while the volunteer lists for the hospital wing were booked for _weeks_. 

Maven was glad he had recovered but it was quickly too much to hear her classmates praise him constantly while James used the outcasts of the student body as target practice for his hexes. 

Maven didn’t focus on him for long and continued to put more energy into her swordsmanship lessons. Every spare moment when she wasn’t with her friends or in class Maven was in the Room of Requirement with a sword in hand. 

Her fingers grew calluses while her body ached from the exercises she put it through. She took to wearing poultice-covered bandages in order to counter the bleeding on her palms. At night Maven would all but collapse, exhausted, into her bunk only to do it all again the next day. 

Second year passed quickly that way. 

Severus and Lily _finally_ made up a few weeks after James had gotten better. Lily hadn’t admitted much to her, only that it was bound to happen. 

“We’re best mates after all,” Lily. “It’s forgiven.” _But not forgotten_ went unsaid. 

Maven found time to search with Severus for any mention of a cure but day after day nothing came up. Maven wasn’t surprised by it. Any breakthroughs had been erased from the history books and all leads turned up dead ends. 

“We’ll go into the Restricted Section.,” Severus promised. “Next year.” 

Regulus began to train for next year's Quidditch tryouts. Maven watched him zoom around the Hogwarts grounds on his broom. He was elated even as Sirius judged him silently from the ground. 

That year Gryffindor won the House Cup, to no one’s surprise. Maven congratulated Lily as she took the Slytherins extra bread as a consolation prize. 

Exams were as hard as ever but they all passed. Severus and Lily bickered over their Potions scores while Regulus groaned over his Charms. Maven smiled as she had passed Charms and Transfigurations with flying colors. 

“It’s all about the wrist.,” She told Regulus wryly. 

They all sat together on the train and promised to do a thousand things with their summer. Severus and Lily wanted to send them Muggle music while Maven promised to give them books. Regulus was tight-lipped during the discussion with his mood souring the closer they got to the station. 

When they got off the train a dirty green creature ran up to Regulus. It’s ears were wide and pointed while its beady, black eyes were focused on Regulus. 

“The Masters are waiting in the car.,” It stated with a bow. 

“Masters?,” Maven repeated. The creature cast its eyes over to them and its face soured. 

Regulus sighed. “This is my House-Elf, Kreacher.” 

“Erm, nice to meet you.,” Lily offered. 

Kreacher glared at her. “Don’t talk to me, _mudblood._ ” 

Lily reeled at the insult while Regulus cast a furious eye towards the elf. 

“Kreacher, apologize!” 

It squirmed uncomfortably. “I-I” 

“I don’t want one.,” Lily retorted, drawing her shoulders back. Her emerald green eyes were hard. “Not from the likes of _him.”_

“But-” 

“Let’s go, Reg.,” Sirius intercepted. His hand was in a death grip around his own luggage and he didn’t meet anyone’s eye. “They’re waiting.” 

Regulus stiffened and nodded. “See you next year.” 

The two left before anyone could say goodbye. 

Over the summer Maven put more time and energy into her Baba’s magic lessons. She was starting to move towards more complicated lessons despite her mother’s disapproval. 

“She’ll be ahead of her class!,” She cried over posho. 

“Good!,” replied her Baba with a grin. 

_“If you ask me,”_ he whispered to Maven in Swahili, “ _they could use a little humbling.”_

“ _I heard that_!,” Her mother replied. 

Maven still hadn’t mastered the mail system yet but somehow Lily and Severus’s letters arrived anyway. 

They had been having a good time in Spinner’s End. Severus was staying with the Evans again and they had been catching up on muggle movies and tv. 

They had moved onto Disney, whatever that was, and Lily said that they loved it. 

Severus said that it was made up prattle that he would never understand the appeal of. 

Lily wrote that Severus’s favorites were the Muppets.

Maven asked if they were like pixies. 

Regulus barely wrote at all. His letters were few and far between, written on expensive paper. When he did write it wasn’t about much. He barely touched on his own life and mainly wrote to ask how everyone else was doing. 

Maven suspected she was the only one he could write to. If Kreacher was anything to judge by… 

Maven made sure to give as much information as she could. 

Maven spent much of her summer outdoors and carefully avoiding the three holes in the backyard. Each hole was around seven feet deep and everytime Maven climbed inside she felt like the earth was swallowing her. 

It didn’t help that every time she did step inside she turned into a monster. This summer her Baba taught her how to put the muffling charm on her pit. Maven’s Mum taught her the shield spell. 

She learned both with a grim finality and hoped that she never had to teach her friends these. Something told her she would have to anyway. 

In August her family bought her new robes and spellbooks as another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was signed into office. The Civil War in Uganda still raged yet most news outlets, Wizarding and Muggle were silent. 

Maven watched closely for haggard owls and prayed that her family was safe, unaware of the dangers looming on the horizon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this short update everyone, but I wanted to get this out of the way before I start writing the year 3 and beyond chapters. Happy Valentine's Day for those who celebrate it!


	15. The Hum of the Train

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maven comes back from their summer vacation with new knowledge, but they aren't the only one.

Maven sighed in relief as they rested their hand on the car door. Somehow they had overslept and just _barely_ made it onto the train in time . Their baggage rumbled behind them in time to the hum of the train as it sped over the tracks.

“-I’m telling you that-” 

“-it wasn’t _supposed_ to-” 

Maven caught the edges of Sev’s and Lily’s conversation as they opened the door with a squeak. Regulus covered his mouth to hide his snickering at their antics before catching sight of Maven. The look on his face was priceless as he took in Maven’s newfound height. 

Maven hadn’t exactly been short before but over the past summer they had sprouted like a tree. On their trip to London over the summer they had ended up needing a new wardrobe of both Wizarding _and_ Muggle clothes.

In moments all three of them surrounded them, quickly showing that Maven was now the tallest person in the group. They grinned at their friends good-natured glares as Severus and Lily began to argue over who was second tallest. They quickly found out that it was Lily. 

The girl smiled at her victory, russling Sev’s hair. Severus tried to pull out from under hand but Lily quickly caught him in a headlock. 

“Stop!,” Severus cried out, laughing. Lilly rubbed his head even harder. 

“He’s right, Lily, keep that up and he’ll be shorter than Regulus.,” Maven laughed. ****

Regulus looked offended. “I’m a year younger than everyone else!” 

“You’re a year shorter too.” 

Severus laughed breathlessly as they took their seats. 

“I thought you’d never make it.,” Lily admitted. 

“So did I.,” Maven huffed. “Mum had to convince the train conductor to let me on. She nearly pulled out her wand!” 

“Did you learn anything new over the summer?,” Severus interjected. 

Maven’s mind immediately flashed to the dirt hole in their backyard and the feeling of being swallowed into the ground. They thought of clutching their wand for dear life as they whispered two spells with the knowledge that they were one of the few things keeping their family from being hunted down. 

“Some.,” Maven waved their hand. “But I need to tell you something.” All eyes turned to them. 

Maven took a deep breath. 

“I’m not a girl anymore. I mean, I don’t _feel_ like one.,” Maven looked out the window. “It’s hard to explain but my pronouns are they/she and I’d prefer it if you used they/them.” 

Lily looked confused. “But you’re one person?” 

“They/them pronouns can be used for anyone, you don’t need to be two people for that.” 

Regulus nodded. “I support you and thank you for feeling comfortable enough to tell us this.” 

Severus’s eyes darted between them, confused. “Does this...happen often?” 

Maven squinted as they thought. “Kind of? There are a bunch of people who are like me and certain potions you can take to make yourself look how you feel.” They shrugged. “But I want you to use my pronouns when talking about me.” 

Severus and Lily still looked confused but nodded. 

Regulus straightened his robes self-consciously next to Maven. The light from the windows illuminated how washed out he had become over the summer. His normally brushed hair was gelled back and he was cleaner than usual but something about him seemed..dimmer somehow. As if someone had scrubbed him too hard and he had faded. 

When he wasn’t staring out of the window, Regulus’s eyes were glued onto the train door. 

“Did something happen with your brother?,” Severus asked the next time it happened, shutting the school book he had been reading. 

Regulus crossed his arms and didn’t respond. “I’m watching for something.” 

“What are you looking for?,” Lily asked, turning so she could look out of the window as well. Regulus’s green eyes evaluated them all silently before he sighed. He ran his hand through his hair as he took a quick look around the empty car. 

“There’s been...rumors of something.,” He started. “People are saying that someone’s coming back.” 

“Who?” 

Regulus shifted. “It’s someone who’s been around for a long time. I don’t want to say his name but I half thought he was a myth. He’s been around for _ages._ My grandfather worked with him.” 

“What did they do?” 

Regulus’s brows furrowed as he focused on straightening his robes. “Just...stuff. _Bad_ stuff.” 

“What do you mean _bad?_ ”

The train door was thrust open with a slam as Sirius Black stormed furiously into the cart. 

His mouth was pulled down into a furious grimace as his hard brown eyes were focused only on Regulus. 

“You told Mum and Da.,” He stated with restrained fury. His hands clenched and unclenched in tight fists by his side. 

Sev’s hand was buried into his robes immediately as he never moved his eyes from Sirius. His entire body was tense and unmoving, like he was a hunted animal waiting for the fatal blow. 

Lily’s hands were pressed flat in her lap while she furiously tapped her leg against the floor. She and Maven caught eyes and an understanding passed between them. If things took a turn they would be the first to act. 

Regulus’s face was set into a careful mask of boredom. He clenched his hands into his furiously straightened robe but didn’t react to his brother’s fury. 

“I did.,” He replied, jutting out his chin. “They had a right to know.” 

_Know what?,_ Maven wanted to ask. 

Sirius was turning red. 

“ _Reg,_ that was a _private_ joke.” 

“Well it wasn’t funny.”

Another squeak from the door and James Potter was inside the cart. Remus followed him closely, with Sirius’s head jerking up to look at them both. He looked like a child caught with something they shouldn’t have. 

The cart was silent as Sirius regarded his friends, caught between pressing the issue or backing off. Remus and James kept their eyes completely on Sirius, not saying a word. 

Sirius shot a glare at Regulus but the tension slowly left his body. His hands clenched for a final time.

“We’ll talk about this later.,” Sirius promised. Regulus jerkily nodded but his eyes didn’t leave his brother until they had been sure they had left. A heavy silence surrounded them that was broken only by the hum of the train as it passed through fields and forests. 

“What was that about?,” Lily prompted. Regulus curled into himself. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” 

The train hummed around them as they faded into silence. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be writing about Maven using they/them pronouns for the rest of this series unless I decide to change the POV again and even then for characters who don't know about their pronouns. Despite JK R*wling's transphobia/general shittiness it doesn't make sense to me for the British Wizarding World to be homophobic/transphobic. 
> 
> They're literally magic. Why would they draw the line at being gay or trans when they can literally turn into animals.

**Author's Note:**

> First fanfic! I finished the series recently and got inspired to make an OC (or two)! Feedback would be greatly appreciated.


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